The Crew: An H2OVanoss Gang AU
by WatchAndLearnKid
Summary: This is a series of short stories based in the Grand Theft Auto V universe, created by Maonethedwarf and myself. Any stories or drabbles I come up with or collaborate with her, will end up being posted here. So stick around for action, blood, and badassery. H2OVanoss M/M
1. The Start of Something Dangerous

In collaboration with the wonderful, truly amazing Maonethedwarf, we'd like to kick off the start of The Gang AU, in which everyone is a fucking badass. Enjoy our drabble that turned into something unexpected.

* * *

It all started with an encrypted message, a question, Vanoss was looking for help in a bank robbery. He needed a point man, someone that knew what he was doing, someone who wouldn't sweat under pressure. Delirious was not the person he expected, dressed in armor covered in a sky blue jacket, a hockey mask covering his face. He almost didn't take him seriously but when he caught sight of those piercing blue eyes and how they screamed something dark, Evan was sold. The job went down without a hitch and Evan asked him to stick around once they had split the cut and the man pushed his mask back, revealing another mask, one made of clown paint and he smiled crookedly, "Absolutely, Boss."

They reached this serious bond between each other to the point that Delirious was furiously defensive of Evan and his position as the leader of their gang, even though Evan was perfectly capable of proving his superiority to others, Delirious was always supporting his decisions and willing to put his life on the line. He's loyal to death. He's the silent type who sits to the side (Evan's side) and only speaks when spoken to and always gets shit done when it needs to be done. But in the heat of the moment, the gunfire, the killing, he comes alive with laughter. Until his boss is on the front lines and then he's doing whatever it takes to protect him.

Evan on the other hand, takes Delirious as HIS and anyone trying to take over his spot is a DEAD MAN. Evan never abandons him if shit goes down, even though that's what the other gang leaders do, they care about their own survival because they know how important they are. Evan cares about his people, they're his family and if Delirious ever tells him "Just leave me behind." "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine." "Run, I'll distract them." he never does and he never will. Delirious is his right hand and he'd be as good as dead without him. Evan's the leader of the pack, looking after his family with fierce passion. Always helping where he can and getting his right hand to do what's necessary to keep them safe. He keeps Delirious close, closer than the others. Because he's the most important of them all, he keeps the group alive, he makes the runs, he brings home the intel.

Their gang grew and they were steadily getting offers for more help, some gangs even made the decision to join them instead of fight. They wanted the same thing; peace in Los Santos. They had contacts all over the city, men on the inside, spies here and there. Eyes in every corner, but it still wasn't enough. They handled it the only way they knew how, themselves. Eventually word started to spread, even through the authorities, of the their work, of Vanoss and his right hand man. The two men that everyone saw last before they died. A man and his clown, they thought it was a joke, until they showed up on their doorstep to kill the unrighteous.

They were notorious and Delirious had never felt so alive in his life while he was by Evan's side. They knew what the other was thinking and they'd reached the point where they were communicating just by looking each other, reading each other's eyes. And it pained Delirious to know that he was going to fall face first in love with him, because he did, slowly but surely. It was the way Evan took care of him, never letting a scratch go unattended. It was the way Evan had taken wet fingers and touched his face for the first time, wiping away his secondary mask until he could see him for what he was. It was the way he had said, "You don't need to hide from me."

It got worse when Evan helped him with his addiction. The way he would hold his body down with his own as he thrashed and screamed. And as much as he grew to love him, he never showed it.

As much as Delirious loved Evan, he still kept his distance. He knew it probably wasn't the best image for someone like Evan, someone who had a strong reputation to keep. He didn't need distractions or weaknesses. So when everyone was finally going to sleep at the end of a rough day, Delirious stayed in the room with the others while Evan walked to that one room that's reserved for the boss. He felt the stab of pain in his chest, he wanted to be with Evan so bad, but it wasn't his decision to make. Evan wass the boss and he'd decide when he wanted him. If he wanted him. So he sat there in the room, everyone falling asleep around him and he just thought, internally calming himself down.

It's okay, he's got to treat us equally, it's fair, it's how it should be. But he was still upset, he wanted to be loved and he quietly cursed himself for not being good enough for Evan. Cursed himself for not being the person that Evan deserved. He was a murderer, a clown, a shadow. He really needed to stop thinking. He couldn't afford to have these thoughts on his mind, especially when he had a job to do tomorrow.

Delirious wandered around the quiet hideout, his feet clicking against the cold wood floor and he stared out at the sun slowly making the skyline become more visible from their position on the hills of the mountain. The city was in turmoil and it was slowly wearing down on their gang as they tried to clean it up, make it right. But there was so much trash that needed cleaning up and he was doing everything he could to keep the weight off of the Evan's shoulders. More gangs were forming by the day and it was getting harder to control what they already had.

"Delirious." Evan called his name and he was already walking towards the sound like a trained pet. He stood at his open doorway and waited for further instructions. He caught his boss's eye and the man nodded to the chair beside him. So he sat, trying not to wince at the dull pain in his side. There was a bowl of steaming water sitting on his desk and he dipped a rag into it before leaning closer and wiping at the dried blood and face paint. He rubbed slow circles into his skin until it was all gone and all he could see was the fair flesh of Delirious' face.

Evan put a finger under his chin and inspected him further. "You're tired."

Delirious sighed and closed his eyes. "Just a little."

"You're a terrible liar." Evan said with his smooth steel voice and Delirious wished he would keep talking, keep soothing him with that reassuring voice of authority. He opened his eyes again and Evan grinned at him, the stress fading from his face and he looked like he did before all of this shit started.

"Go get in my bed and get some sleep." He gestured behind him and Delirious looked into the dark room and felt his heart flutter a bit. He'd never been in Evan's room. No one had.

"What about you?"

"I'll be fine. I have some more calls to make. Go." Evan said and gave him one last look before he turned back to his work. He listened until he heard Delirious shedding his clothes and crawling under his sheets.

"Goodnight, Jonathan."

"Goodnight, Evan."

* * *

"It's a fucking ambush! They knew I was coming!" Evan hears Delirious say before his comm turns into nothing but static. He ripped the piece from his ear and threw it across the room. He took a few breaths before he looked around at his men and gave them a simple nod and they knew what to do. He headed down to the armory, throwing whatever he could get his hands on into his duffle. Marcel already had the SUV ready and waiting when he heard Tyler trying to keep up with him.

"Listen, Boss. This is exactly what they want. For you to come out there. They're picking at your weak spot and you can't give in!"

Evan spun on him and put a finger to his chest, "No! Tyler, I'm going. Call Brian and you find the piece of shit who ratted him out! I'll take care of the rest."

Tyler could do nothing but watch him storm out with their best men behind him. And when he got there they were met with a shit storm of armor and guns staring back at them. The fucks were waiting and Evan could see Jonathan on his knees with a gun to his head. He felt his blood boil.

The gang leader smiled at him as they walk up to the open gates to the warehouse, "Surrender or we kill him."

Jonathan caught his eye, his paint running down his face, smeared with a mix of blood. "Vanoss, just leave me! If you surrender, everything we've done would have been for nothing!" He sucked in a breath. "I'm not worth it."

But he could tell by the look in Evan's eyes that he wasn't going to leave him behind.

Evan was looking directly at him, seriously hoping that Delirious was joking. How could he ever think that abandoning him would be an option?

A deep frown formed on his face and he hissed, "Let him go or I'll rip your next generation from it's mother's womb."

The enemy gang members looked at each other with slight concern when Evan's death stare didn't leave the man holding a gun to his man's throat. The guy was staring intently back at Evan, his eyes momentarily flashing to his captive. Evan shook his head.

"Pull that trigger and you'll be picking up your intestines with a fucking spoon."

That's the moment Delirious decided to make a move, punching his distracted captor in the stomach. The gun went off and shots rang out through the base. Evan hit the ground and rolled out of site behind a tree, the bullets whizzing past his head. his men were smart and spread out, making gaps in the enemies fire. He thought he saw a flash of blue running out of site before he ducked, but he couldn't be sure. He couldn't be sure that Delirious was still alive.

"We don't have much time before the cops come!" He yelled into the walkie attached to his vest. "Marcel! Get eyes for me!"

"Roger that!" Marcel pulled a drone from his pack and guided it into the air before he threw the tiny monitor to Evan. More bullets hit the ground around him, but all of his focus was on finding that flash of blue again. He looked through the camera and moved the drone around until he noticed some of the enemies were shooting in another direction entirely. His heart climbed to his throat and be check his gun.

He clicked his walkie again, "Lui, I need you in the air, on my location!"

"Already here, sir. Tyler sent me after you." Lui said and Evan heard the displacement of air as Lui and the chopper came into view.

"Take them out, but steer clear of the warehouse! Delirious is pinned down in there!"

"You got it, Boss." Explosions rang out and flaming metal flew past them digging into the dirt as they landed. Shouts eventually died down and what was left of the enemy got in their vehicles and ran. "You're clear!"

Evan didn't waste time and he kicked dirt up behind him when he heard a pistol firing, echoing against the metal warehouse. His lungs were burning when he rounded the corner and saw the gang leader in a fight for the gun with Delirious. Evan tossed his own gun to the floor which got the guy's attention and he turned just in time to catch Evan's blade beneath his chin where it sank into his throat. Blood spilled out over his arm and he lifted the guy before slamming him onto the cold hard ground where he took his last breath. He heard a heavy breath leave Jonathan's lips and he caught site of the blood that was gushing from his shoulder as he held it tight.

"Fuck!"

"No! I'm okay!" Delirious insisted when Evan tried to rip his clothes to get a better look. Evan was in a furious panic, Jonathan had been shot and the cops were coming. He as losing his grip on the situation.

"We need to leave, Evan!" Jonathan shouted and Evan grabbed his face, the blood on his hands smearing across the bruises and scrapes as he pressed his lips against his in an attempt to express his fucking worry. To express the relief that he wasn't dead, to express the fucking love he had for him, his right hand man, the one that kept his heart beating through the daily spray of gunfire and murder.

The kiss surprised Jonathan and God, he had to fight the urge to drown himself in it, the need, the desire, it was strong but the time was wrong and he gently pulled away from Evan, an apology on his tongue.

Evan understood though. Later. They'll have plenty of time later.

He clicked the walkie, eyes fixed worriedly on the gunshot wound on Jonathan's shoulder. They had to get out and fast.

"We're leaving, Marcel! Get the car, we'll be in front of the warehouse in a minute!" He ordered and took a firm grasp on Jonathan's arm as they quickly made their way black Subaru WRX came to a halt in front of them and Evan quickly opened the backseat and pushed Jonathan inside first, before climbing in after him. With the screech of tires, Marcel took off and made a sharp turn, Jonathan bumped into his injured shoulder and screamed out, nearly doubling over and Evan was instantly at his side, wrapping his arms around him and he shouted angrily at Marcel.

"Be careful for fuck's sake, he's been shot!"

Marcel momentarily looked back, surprise on his face. "Oh fuck, I'm sorry Delirious!" He said apologetically. Jonathan shut his eyes, it burned like hell. He felt lips press against his temple and Evan whispered in his ear.

"Just hold on. You're going to be fine. We'll fix you up in no time." His voice was shaking, Jonathan had never heard him so scared before. He was starting to feel weak, faint, dots were clouding his vision and Evan kept shaking him. "Hey, stay awake. We're almost there."

Evan was trying to wipe the sweat from his brow but he only succeeded in getting more blood on his face. "Tyler! We're almost there, is everything ready?"

"Yes! Everything is prepped, just keep pressure on it!" Tyler voice crackled over the radio and Evan switched frequencies.

"Brock, Craig, Daithi! How are the cops coming?"

"We've got it under control, just ducked into an alleyway and they didn't follow you. How is it on your end?"

Evan took a breath as Marcel drove around the twists and turns until he could see their hideout come into view, "Jonathan's been shot, we're hitting HQ now. Tyler's prepped and ready to take the bullet out. Get back here as soon as you can."

"Shit … Copy that."

Jonathan's head hit his shoulder just as Marcel pulled the Subaru into the garage. Tyler was waiting and threw the door open to help him out."How long has he been out?"

"He just fell over." Evan grunted as he lifted the dead weight from the backseat, Tyler grabbed his feet and they hauled him into the house and laid him out on the bar in the kitchen, cutting his shirt off and stripping the fabric back.

"Christ." Tyler muttered.

"What?!" Evan ask, getting frustrated the longer Tyler stayed still.

"A few more inches to the left and that bullet would have hit his heart."

Evan didn't say anything, he just clenched his fist and bit the inside of his cheek.

He was upset, angry, absolutely furious. He couldn't believe he let this happen, a traitor slipping into his territory and getting the man he loved so dearly nearly killed. He started doubting his skills of leadership, but almost immediately shrugged it off. He placed his hand on Tyler's shoulder, making him look at him.

"I'm going to get the fuck who's responsible for this. You make sure he," he nodded to Jonathan's unconscious form, "gets through this, got it?"

Tyler nodded. "I'll do my best."

Evan turned to Jonathan one more time, stroking his hair with unusual gentleness to Tyler's surprise, and then walked out of the room. Marcel was waiting for him, arms crossed with his back against the wall.

"Did they find him, yet?" He grunted and Marcel looked up, nodding and pulling away from the wall.

"Yeah, the boys got him chained up in the basement. No one touched him yet."

The smile that formed on Evan's face, was probably the most haunting that Marcel had ever seen him and he was silently grateful for being on his side. Evan wasn't angry anymore, he was a blood thirsty hound coming for his kill.

* * *

Evan descended into the dark basement, one light was hanging in the middle of the room, a single chair beneath it, and in it was a guy he thought he knew well. "Where did you find him?"

Brian's ear perked up, "I found him running scared, trying to get to the airport."

Evan breathed through his nose and Brian grinned evilly as he walked around his boss and up the stairs. "I never liked the prick anyway."

"Why did you do it, Scotty?"

He watched his lip tremble, he knew what was going to happen next. "They told me they would kill Anthony if I didn't give them the details. Evan, I didn't mean for-"

Evan connected his fist with his face and felt the satisfying crack of his nose breaking, "Don't give me that shit, Scotty! You should've come to me! We stick together, we were family, that's what family is for! Fuck!"

He pulled his brass knuckles out and Scotty whined, "Please Evan, please!"

Evan felt the anger swell and his fist was out of control, he was losing feeling in it as he continued to wail away at the face before him. He was covered in blood once again and he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Evan, stop." Lui's small voice said behind him. Evan couldn't catch his breath.

"If you kill him, you will never forgive yourself. Let him go. He knows what he did and he did it for love. Just like why you did what you did."

Evan looked down at the peace talker and he couldn't stop from agreeing with him. As much as he wanted to kill Scotty, he couldn't, he'd been with them for so long and he couldn't imagine what Anthony would feel if he just … disappeared. They were family, but he couldn't let him stay.

"Fine. Him and Anthony have twelve hours to leave Los Santos. Get him the fuck out of my house." He fumed. "If Jonathan dies, I'm coming after him anyway."

Lui nodded and Evan walked back up the stairs and took the towel Marcel offered him. He wiped at his hands and the fabric came back red, red like all the blood that was dripping from his kitchen counter. "How is he?"

"Evan, it's been barely thirty minutes. Tyler shushed everyone out of the room saying that he needed to focus on fixing Delirious up. The only thing that he mentioned was that there's a possibility that Delirious had a nicked artery, but he wasn't sure." sighed Marcel.

Evan nodded, swallowing thickly. "Stay by the door in case Tyler needs something and if there's trouble, call me."

"I'm on it, Boss." Marcel said and headed to his spot by Tyler's door once again.

* * *

Evan made his way to his room, sitting at the edge of bed and taking off his gear. A lot of things were going through his mind, from blinding worry to disappointment.

_Maybe I've gone too soft. This kind of shit wouldn't have happened if I kept a firm hand over my people. God, Scotty, what have you done…_

He put his head in his arms and breathed deeply. Exhaustion was crawling up his body like a nasty bug, it'd been a long day and it wasn't even remotely close to being over. As much as he wished to just lie down and sleep, he couldn't, not while Jonathan was downstairs presumably fighting for his life. If he didn't make it….

He curled his hand into a fist. Family or not, I'll hunt you down Scotty. You fucked with my trust, but fucking with my man…there are limits you don't want to cross…

Time passed painfully slow and Evan nearly dozed off when Marcel came into his room. He immediately stood up, showering him questions. "How is he? Is he going to make it?"

Marcel put his hands up defensively. "We need you downstairs, he woke up when Tyler started poking around the bullet wound and nearly knocked our poor medic out." Evan headed out the door, Marcel hot on his heels. "Don't get too excited, the thrashing is making him lose more blood and he doesn't have much left as it is. If he doesn't stop, he's going to kill himself." At that Evan started to run.

* * *

The amount of blood was borderline scary and he nearly slipped on it as he ran to Tyler's side. Brock was holding down Jonathan's legs, or trying to, while Craig was holding his shoulders down. Tyler was keeping pressure on the wound and it was making Jonathan scream even more out of pain.

"I need to get in there and sew it up, dammit! I can't if he won't stop moving!" Tyler said as he struggled against the thrashing muscle beneath him. "He needs an anesthetic!"

"No! That is out of the fucking question and you know it." Evan shook his head and looked down at the distressed man on the counter. "He used to be an addict and none of us can afford for him to have a relapse."

"Then talk him down, Evan! Or he's going to die from blood loss!" Marcel yelled frantically as he stood to the side with Lui and Brian.

Evan shoved Craig out of the way and ran his hands over Jonathan's face. "Hey! Look at me, look at me. Calm down, I know you're hurting but you need to be still." Evan stroked his thumb over his cheek softly, uncharacteristically sweet as he kept talking to him, soothing him with his voice. The guys were looking around at each other in shock at his actions. They all knew Jonathan was close to Evan, as close as he could get without belonging to him, but the way Evan treated him, protected him, and took care of him . . . . you couldn't help but assume that he was his. Evan always held him on a higher level than the rest of them, Jonathan was with him from the beginning and he'd held him together when things seemed to fall apart.

Tyler watched in awe as Jonathan started to go still, flinching at the pain instead of kicking. His breathing was steady and he was looking Evan in the eye, listening to his voice, soaking up the feeling of his hands on his face. His lips moved and he pictured them against his again and he almost couldn't feel Tyler digging into his flesh, poking and prodding, saving his life.

"Okay. Fuck." Tyler breathed and took a step back to wipe at his sweaty forehead. "The bleeding has stopped. He needs to rest, he'll be weak for a while."

Evan exhaled and let his lips leave a light kiss on Jonathan's head, "Thank you, Tyler."

Tyler just waved him off and started to clean the blood off Jonathan. "Where do you want to put him? He needs peace and quiet to rest, but you know, someone has to look after him and make sure he doesn't suddenly decide to get up and waltz around, ripping his stitches, which I'm pretty proud of, mind you."

"Wouldn't be the first time around here." Murmured Craig, thinning his lips when he received Evan's gang leader was infamous for getting up and going back to his work almost instantly after he'd been patched up, Tyler hated him greatly for that.

Before Evan said anything, Luke showed up at the door.

"I'll look after him, you don't need me for anything right now anyways." he glanced at Evan. "I know what you're thinking, but you look dead on your feet and Jonathan is even harder to handle when he's hurt, trust me, I went through all of his limbs being broken, he's a magnet to accidents." Luke put a comforting hand on Evan's shoulder. "I'll take care of him for you, don't worry".

Evan sighed. "Fine." He looked over at Jonathan who passed out again. "If something's up -"

"I'll let you know, got it." Luke cut him off, smiling. Evan patted him on the shoulder and walked out.

Luke moved over to the counter and slid one arm under Jonathan's knees and the other carefully under his uninjured arm and lifted the dead weight off the counter. "Alright buddy, time to move to a proper bed." Halfway through the door, Tyler could hear him whisper, "You really gotta lay off the twinkies, Christ."

* * *

Evan walked through his office and into his bedroom where he fell onto his bed, the sheets still a mess where he had crawled into them the night before when Jonathan had flinched in his sleep but never woke and Evan was grateful. He always felt like he asked too much of Jonathan, sending him out to do pretty much anything and everything that required silence and precision. He was good at what he did and it was why he had teamed up with him in the first place, even if he was a bit strange and maniacal at times. Evan had helped him get over his addiction and thus made a vow to bring down the drug ring that was ruling Los Santos. The one that was destroying it, bringing it to it's knees. Turf wars were sprouting here and there and soon the trafficking of guns became the next problem. He and Jonathan started recruiting and soon their gang grew into a massive network that stretched across the entire city. He had more contacts than he knew what to do with, but Jonathan was always there to help lighten the load by taking calls and collaborating with him about their plans.

He was the glue that kept their empire together. He kept him together. Evan could never thank him enough for the times he himself would wander in at the wee hours of the morning covered in blood, clothes ripped from close calls and Jonathan would look him over and clean him up when he didn't have the strength to move. Jonathan always waited up for him no matter how fucking tired he was or how rough of a day he had, he always made sure that he was okay before Evan had to force him to sleep. And he loved him for that.

When the strong possessive feelings started to form when it came to Jonathan, Evan didn't know. He knew that he didn't want anyone to lay a finger on him, didn't want him hurt, didn't want him too far away. So he kept him close. But he failed and Jonathan was hurt and Evan was hurting for letting it happen.

He closed his eyes and fell into a restless sleep and dreamt of gunfire and blood, cars zooming past at the speed of light, Jonathan's lips. He jerked awake when his phone went off beside his head.

"Vanoss." He answered and cleared his throat trying to shake off the sleep.

"Hey, Boss." It was Adam, who was in charge of their base down by the docks. He and his guys were the eyes and ear on what was being shipped in and out of the city and where it was going. "Shit is about to hit the fan. More coke and guns coming in under the radar as we speak."

"How long do we have?"

"A week at most before the freighter arrives at port."

Evan sighed, "Alright, I'll get back to you."

"Yes, sir."

He hung up and squinted into the light filtering in through the window and heard mumbled voices coming in through his office. He stood, letting his stiff joints loosen up before he walked out and found Brock and Tyler at his desk going over the map, marking drop zones and pick-up locations for intel and deals. He gave them a nod and walked into the kitchen smelling lemon cleaner. The counter was clean and there wasn't a speck of blood to be found, except on Jonathan. It had dried to his clothes and he was mumbling in his sleep as he was stretched out pitifully on the bed. Luke was fast asleep in a chair next him. Evan sat on the edge of the bed and brushed a hand through his hair.

Jonathan's eyes opened slowly, tiredly, and caught Evan's hand. He placed a small kiss to his palm and Evan grinned. "You look like shit."

"Feel like it." Sighed Jonathan, the hand on Evan's slowly let go and slid down to his side again. The fatigue was visible on Jonathan's face, the large loss of blood was taking it's toll on his body and every movement looked like an enormous struggle for him. Even though Tyler warned Evan that Jonathan was going to be weakened, it still worried him. Jonathan's eyes were drooping already.

"Jonathan?" Evan said softly. Jonathan only hummed in response.

"Sleep well . . ." Evan placed a light kiss on his cheek and stood up. Jonathan was deep asleep again.

* * *

Evan had no idea how is he going to do this now, Jonathan was their main guy, he was the one taking all the important heists. His injury was a great hit to the gang as well, Evan didn't know if he could trust anyone else with the jobs he assigned to Jonathan, but at the same time he knew that his man was going to be out of work for a long time. He wouldn't let him on another mission, even if Jonathan said he was feeling alright. He couldn't risk him getting shot again, presumably fatally the next time.

The thought made him shudder.

It was days before Jonathan could walk on his own again, Luke always at his side to help him. Even then he was still slow on his feet and sore as fuck. Evan was never around, either stuck in his office making calls or making runs and setting up deals around the city for the shipment that was coming in. Jonathan didn't like it one bit and Evan knew that. They still hadn't talked about _them_, or that kiss, or the heavy air that hung between them. There just wasn't enough time to yet.

"I think you should just blow it to fucking pieces, to be honest." Jonathan said and Evan gave him a hard look from across the table as they all had a meal together, courtesy of Nogla and Lui. It was something they hadn't done in a long time and the upcoming weeks were going to be long ones. It was good to have face time while they had the opportunity.

"I know you don't really mean that." Evan said and everyone put their forks down to watch them bicker.

"I do. Because I know you and I know that you're planning to let the ship dock and let the drugs and guns spread so you can track them, thus leading us to every supplier in the fucking city. Do you have any idea how big of a job that is?" Jonathan sat back in his chair and crossed his arms. "If you blow it up, then no one gets any of it. We can track them down another day and no one gets hurt."

Evan sighed and tilted his head at his blue eyed companion, "Is this because I'm making you stay here until you can use your arm again? Because that is exactly what is sounds like. It sounds like you don't approve of Lui taking your place, temporarily of course, and you don't approve of not being able to throw yourself out in the line of fire. Again." Evan shook his head when Jonathan didn't answer, he knew he was right.

"I can't afford for you to get hurt again, you can't use your arm for shit right now, you need to heal. Lui is the best gun we have and I know you trust him because I trust him. We'll be fine and you'll be fine. You'll be squirming in your seat, but you'll be fine. Tyler is going to need help anyway keeping up with the drop points and deals and keeping us updated on where things are moving."

Jonathan huffed a sarcastic laugh, "You want me to sit here for weeks and pin thumbtacks on a _fucking board_? No offense Tyler."

Tyler held up his hand, "None taken. Trust me."

"That is _exactly_ what I want you to do. And you're going to fucking do it." Evan said with finality in his voice and everyone silently started to eat again because that was the end of that conversation. Except for Jonathan who cleaned his plate and put it up, feeling eyes on his back as he left the dining room and stepped outside onto the deck, sitting in silence until the sky darkened. He tried to pull his arm above his head but he just came back wincing in pain. He was worthless and the biggest part of their lives was about to happen. This entire shipment could mean everything for the gang and the city. He wouldn't get to see it firsthand.

* * *

He watched everything happen from Evan's office, or the Planning Room, as Tyler liked to call it. He watched as their guys tagged the boxes as they were being unloaded, with tiny trackers. That's when things really started moving fast and Craig joined them as they filled the map one thumbtack at a time. And soon the entire thing was filled, they stood back and looked at each other, a grin spreading across their faces.

"We fucking did it, guys." Delirious said. "This is all we need."

Weeks went by and Jonathan was slowly getting his arm back, it was still a pain to lift it above his head or touch his wound, but it was progress. Evan was almost always gone, coming back only when he needed a shower and sleep, which was normally when Jonathan was asleep and he sometimes caught a glimpse of him as he was walking out the door again. He felt his absence weighing him down, pulling at his heart strings. He missed him when he was so used to being by his side almost every day and it clawed at his sanity.

But he waited up one night, into the early hours of the morning when everyone else had drifted off to sleep. He waited for the sound of the door silently clicking shut and he let his feet guide him to Evan's room where the man had already shed his shirt and was kicking out of his shoes.

"Hey." Jonathan said and Evan turned in surprise, his expression softened.

"Hey, you." He said and looked him up and down. "You should be sleeping."

"I should be, but I'm not." Jonathan grinned and stepped closer seeing the bruises that littered his perfect body. "You look like shit."

Evan sighed and soaked up the feeling of Jonathan's hands running over his skin. "Feel like it."

"Let me help you." Jonathan placed a kiss to his chest. "Like I used to."

Evan nodded and led them both to the shower where he turned it up to full heat to ease his aching muscles. Steam filled the room and he watched.

Jonathan slowly, carefully raise his arms above his head and pull his shirt off. His arm was in a lot better shape if he could finally do that again. Evan watched his pants fall, his briefs as he kicked them off and stepped into the shower looking back only to hold his hand out in offering. Evan's mouth watered at his skin, the fair flesh that he's always pictured against his.

"Stop staring and get in." Jonathan smiled and Evan shook himself from his daze and pulled the rest of his clothes off, following the man into the source of heat. He groaned as the water stung his skin but he soon got used to it. Jonathan soaped his hands up and immediately put them to good use, pushing into the tense muscle of Evan's back, his torso, and he earned a short moan when he went for the swell of his hips.

Evan felt the tip of Jonathan's nose touch his shoulder, where he pressed a tender kiss against his skin. A hard line of heat ran straight to Evan's gut and he turned. He touched his hand to his face, cupping Jonathan's jaw before he pulled his lips to his and the feeling that crawled up his spine was so severe, an ache so deep he couldn't think, and he did his best to breathe properly. It was gentle, but soon turned heated when Jonathan's slick fingers slid up his chest until they were around his neck and in his hair. Evan squeezed his fingertips into his hips and pressed his back against the cold tile wall and Jonathan arched his back away from it with a hiss.

He caught his eyes, those blue eyes that knew him inside and out, and he brushed a thumb across his cheekbone before delving back in. Their tongues collided in a slick battle for more and it never seemed to end, a wet eternal slide of unspoken words that they'd felt for years but never had the time to say.

Evan moved his hips and coaxed a sweet noise from Jonathan as he rocked his hips back in return. They were both on edge, hardness pressed against the smooth line each other's hip and they moved with each other until the friction coiled their muscles, heat spilling between their bellies, mouths hanging open in a silent cry of ecstasy. If only for a moment, it was just the two of them, coming down from a temporary high. A high they could only ever achieve together, one that Jonathan was already addicted to.

Evan kissed him slow and Jonathan drank up every inch of him while he was still here, memorizing every inch of his bare skin as they curled around each other under the thin sheet of the bed. He took what he could until Evan rolled out of the bed and kissed him sweetly before he had to leave for another early job that would take him all day.

"It's almost over isn't it?" Jonathan asked and Evan looked down at him from the edge of the bed, sliding his boots on. He smiled and nodded, "Yeah, it's getting close."

He leaned down again and placed a kiss to his clown's forehead. "Pretty soon you can come with me. Pretty soon this entire city will be ours."

Jonathan smiled up at him and pulled his lips to his for a proper kiss. He pulled away and ran a hand through his jet black hair, "Sounds amazing."

Evan caught his hand and kissed his palm, "I love you. I've always loved you."

Jonathan bit as his bottom lip as he grinned like an idiot. He'd dreamed about those words coming out of that man's mouth for years and here they were and they were his. "I love you, too. Ever since you held me down and saved my life. Ever since you tamed me."

Evan smiled and kissed his lips lightly, "I'm sorry. There's just never been time. But soon we'll have all the time in the world."

"I'm looking forward to it."

"Me, too."

Jonathan shooed him off and laughed, "Go kick some ass … Boss."

"You got it, baby." Evan winked and Jonathan watched him disappear into the early morning light. Things didn't always go the way he wanted it to, but he couldn't argue with the situation or how it had all panned out. It worked, their job was getting easier, the city was looking better, things were getting brighter. And every second of it, the hurt, the pain, the good and the bad, it had all been worth it.

-w.a.l.k. &amp; maone


	2. Deep

"They simply go by 'The Crew', sir." Jacobi stated and his boss nodded for him to continue. "They have complete control over what goes in and out of Los Santos. They're good men from what I've heard. They're definitely the right way to go if you're looking for a silent smuggle of guns. Word is he's trying to keep new items from coming in and wants to get the excess out. And Vanoss' second in command is a man we've worked with before."

"Who?"

Jacobi grinned, "Delirious."

Alex glanced back at his advisor and a smile slid across his face. He held his hand out, "Get me a line with him."

Jacobi dailed and handed him the satellite phone with a smirk. "Don't get carried away, Alex."

"Can't make any promises." He said in his thick Irish accent and held the phone to his ear.

"Vanoss. I have a proposition for you."

* * *

Jonathan loved the feel of cold metal. He loved the smell of fresh gunpowder and the sting of his hand after firing a bullet. He liked to kill, but only those who rightfully deserved it. He liked to watch the life leave their wide eyes, the regret, the apology. It showed who they really were inside. He had never been wrong in his decision to take lives and he'd never regretted it. Joining Evan was something that fueled his purpose. Stealing from the rich and the corrupt helped balance his insanity until he felt like a normal human being. As close to normal as he could be.

He still wore face paint and a mask on his missions unless he didn't need it, unless he was deep undercover. The feds still didn't know what any of them really looked like and they all liked to keep it that way. He heard a shift in the music that was filtering through the armory and he felt the hairs stand up on the back of his neck, but then he caught a whiff of a very familiar scent and he lowered his defenses.

"What can I do for you, Boss?" He asked without looking up from cleaning his guns. Evan finally made a noise, letting his presence be known as he came to rest across from Jonathan's table.

"I need to ask you something."

Jonathan finally looked up at him, meeting his rich eyes and he stopped what he was doing. This was business by the tone of Evan's voice.

"Shoot."

"Do you know a man named Alex?"

"I know a few. Why?"

Evan sat back in the chair and tapped his finger against the table, "What about Jacobi?"

"Jacobi." Jonathan repeated and a small laugh escaped his lips. "Yeah, I know Jacobi and Alex. Alex is an Irish guy who hired me on a job about six years ago. They're good guys, but their crew is batshit insane."

Evan crossed his arms, "I just got a call a few minutes ago from Alex. He wants a fuck load of guns and I need to know if I can trust him. I need to know he's not going to cut and run with the quarter million he's promising."

Jonathan's brows inched up his forehead. "Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars? How many guns are we talking here?"

"Nine hundred. I've already got Adam on standby down at the docks with Cody and Ohm. They've already got the guns loaded on the ship waiting for my go."

Jonathan huffed in surprise and rubbed the back of neck. For a quarter million it didn't matter if he trusted them or not. "Christ, lay it on me thick why don't you?"

"I just need to know if it's even worth the trouble, Jonathan. Can we trust them?"

"Yes." He said without hesitation. "They had the option of leaving me for dead all those years ago, but they risked the entire operation to get me out alive."

Evan nodded and watched Jonathan walk around the table towards him. His grey shirt was damp and clinging tight to his shape in the warm room.

"Sounds like someone else I know." Jonathan said quietly and grinned wickedly when Evan looked up at him. He grabbed Jonathan's hand and kissed his palm, loving the way he wet his lips as he watched from above.

"Meet me in the office when you're done here and I'll discuss it with you." Evan let his hand go and stood. He bit back the urge to touch the exposed skin of his neck that was shining slick with sweat.

"You got it, Boss." It took Jonathan another hour to clean his guns and help Lui take apart his rifles and piece them back together. Then he headed up to Evan's office where he found him pinning papers and plans on the board that covered the entire wall.

"Evan."

"Jonathan." Evan said without turning around as he gave his laid out plans another once over. He tried to choose his next words carefully.

Everyone had fears, including himself, and he knew Jonathan's.

Drowning. Evan knew he couldn't swim. But Jonathan had never told him the reason he kept away from the ocean or why he shied away from the pool when everyone else was relaxing in it. Evan would never let him go under, but still, Jonathan refused.

Evan clenched his jaw. "I need you out there with me on this one."

He turned and looked at his second in command who was becoming visibly stressed the longer he thought about what his boss had said.

"Evan -"

"I know." He nodded. "But you know these guys. I need you there because you'll know if they're going to turn on us."

"They won't."

"You don't know that, Jonathan. People can change a lot in six years."

Jonathan looked around searching for another excuse but he knew he was going out there with Evan whether he found one or not. He swallowed in defeat and stood up straighter, "Okay. Walk me through it then."

Evan grinned. That right there was reason Jonathan was his right hand. Because he would do anything, face his fear and get the job done if that's what was necessary. He never gave in to it.

"I won't let anything happen to you." Evan reassured him and Jonathan gave him a weak smile.

"I know."

Evan picked up his radio and clicked the button. "Tyler, get everyone in here. Let's go over this job."

"Yes, sir."

* * *

"Alright, boys. This is what's going to happen." Evan pointed at the picture of the freighter he had pinned and let his finger follow the red line that led them offshore. "Six a.m., we follow Adam and the freighter twenty miles out to the rendezvous point on two smaller boats. Marcel, Brian, Nogla, and Jonathan; my boat. Brock, Craig, and Lui will be on the other boat as backup. Tyler and Luke will stay here to hold down the fort and coordinate."

He paused in case they had questions but none spoke up so he continued. "Now, it should go down quickly and without a problem. We meet them out there, board, get our money first, then Adam, Cody, and Ohm will load the guns onto Alex's ship. We leave, end of story. But, if they try to take the guns and run, I give the signal and Lui detonates the charges we placed on the crates. If not, we disarm them. Everyone understand?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good, then we'll be down at the docks at 5:30 a.m. Get some rest, guys."

Evan watched them filter out of the office one by one and he caught Jonathan by the arm before he tried to leave. He turned and gave Evan a look that said he wanted to be alone, but Evan knew better than to let him go. That look always meant he wanted to be everything but alone.

"Hey, stop worrying."

Jonathan sighed and rubbed his eyes, "You don't understand."

"Then help me."

"I don't want to talk about it right now, Evan."

"Alright." He took Jonathan by the wrist and took him into the bedroom where he gently pulled the clothes from his body and guided him into the sheets where he pulled him close and ran his fingers over his skin until he was deep asleep and no longer thinking about what tomorrow would bring him. Evan followed him under and woke to Luke's hand on his shoulder.

"It's five o'clock." He said quietly in the dark. Evan rubbed his face and nodded, throwing back the sheets and watching Luke leave the room. He leaned down and kissed Jonathan awake, running his hands over his warm stomach, feeling the yawn crawl up his body while he stretched beside him. "Mm."

"Time to get this over with." Evan whispered and kissed him again before pulling him up and out of the bed to brush their teeth and take a quick shower.

Luke stopped him before Evan shut the door to the car when he got in. "Bring him back in one piece, please."

"I will."

* * *

Evan was regretting his decision the more Jonathan grew nervous as Marcel drove them through the waking city. The pier creaked beneath their feet and Jonathan's legs were weak as Evan guided him onto the boat the rocked with their weight.

"_Relax._"

Jonathan tried, he did, but he kept a firm grasp on the metal bar above him as Marcel started the engine at six a.m. and led them out into the endless horizon, trailing behind the freighter that housed the guns. He closed his eyes, trying not the look at the deep blue ocean that looked like glass stretched out around them as far as the eye could see. The salt water mist was clinging to his skin and he felt Evan's hand on his waist.

The sun peeked over the horizon and the ship they were meeting came into view. Jonathan saw a storm building in the distance and prayed they could be done with the deal before it reached them. A calm ocean was one thing, but a stormy one was a completely different thing. It was dangerous, waves and wind, and too many possibilities of him being thrown overboard and to his inevitable death.

Marcel pulled them alongside the ship and he followed Evan up the ladder with Brian and Nogla close behind.

"Vanoss." Alex greeted them with a firm handshake and a thick accent. His right hand man came into view and nodded at Jonathan.

"Delirious."

"Jacobi." He gave a small tilt of the head.

"You seem to be doing pretty well for yourself." The dark haired man smirked.

Jonathan shrugged, "I got lucky."

Jacobi huffed, "That's funny, considering how clumsy I remember you being."

Evan bristled at the comment but relaxed when he saw Jonathan slide his mask up over his head and laugh. He extended his hand and Jacobi took it before pulling him into a hug, laughing with him.

"So, how have you assholes been?" Jonathan asked, looking and feeling much better about the situation.

Alex motioned for them to follow as he led them below deck. "We've been making it."

They entered a control room with monitors laid out, wires running across the floor, and a handful of men who looked like they had seen their fair share of combat. Alex turned to Evan and clapped his hands together. "I assume you want the payment before we proceed."

"Correct." Evan nodded to Brian who pulled a flash drive from his pocket that had everything Alex and his crew needed to wire the money.

"So." Jonathan tried to start conversation while the guys typed away at the their keyboards. "What the hell do you want all these guns for?"

Jacobi flicked his eyes in Alex's direction, "That guy wants to start a revolution back home."

"Home, as in Ireland?" Nogla spoke up.

"That's right." Alex gave the Irish nod.

"That's funny." Brian joined in. "I don't remember Ireland having a separated state."

Nogla scoffed, "Or having any enemies of any kind for that matter."

Evan was on the verge of snapping someone's neck. If this deal went to shit because of this argument, he would.

Alex stiffened, "Well, you two Irish look like you haven't been home in quite some time, so you'll excuse me for saying that you don't know what the bloody fuck you're talking about."

Nogla bristled and stepped forward with a retaliation on his tongue but Evan gave them both a sharp look and said, "_Enough_."

And that was that. He gave a Jonathan a look that told him to take care of the two whenever the deal was done. Jonathan rolled his eyes. He hated having to put the two Irishmen in their place because they were so fucking patriotic and stubborn when it came to being told they were wrong. But he gave Evan a nod.

"It's done." Jacobi said and threw the flash drive back at Brian who gave him a death glare.

Evan touched his ear piece, "Cartoonz, are we clear?"

"Yes, sir. Payment received. You're clear to proceed." Luke responded.

Evan led everyone back up to the deck and gave Adam the signal and they watched as Ohm guided the crates onto Alex's ship. It didn't take too long, but he knew if he didn't get the Irishmen away from each other then a war would break out and they'd have to abandon this job all together, money be damned.

"Pleasure doing business with you, Vanoss. I'll be sure to recommend you to my contacts in the area." Alex gave him another firm handshake.

"Absolutely. Give me a call if you ever need anything else. We'll be here." Evan turned to go and watched Jonathan shake Alex's hand and give Jacobi one more small hug.

"Take care." Jonathan smirked at them and Jacobi gave him a smile that Evan would have to ask him about later. He shrugged it off and glared at Nogla and Brian as they stepped down the ladder and he nodded at Delirious before following him down. He gave Marcel a pat on the shoulder and the engine started up. He spoke into his ear piece, "Alright boys, let's head back in before this storm hits."

Evan kept his eyes for forward as he watched the dark grey storm clouds grow closer. He listened to Jonathan light a fire underneath the Irish.

Jonathan spun on them the moment the boat was clear of the ship, open water surrounding them once more, "What the fuck were you thinking?!"

Brian huffed and rolled his eyes which only made Delirious even angrier.

"You could have blown that entire job with your smart ass remarks!"

"Come on!" Nogla threw his hands in the air, "He's taking all that firepower to an enemy-less country!"

Jonathan got in his face, "Neither of you have been home in sixteen years! So it doesn't even fucking matter!"

"Hey! We still have relatives over there!" Brian stood.

Jonathan didn't back down, "Then send them a visa and a plane ticket! Next time you keep your fucking mouths shut unless he says otherwise." He pointed behind him at Evan's back. "Is that clear, you Irish fucks?"

Nogla fumed and before Jonathan could block the giant, his hands shoved him hard in the chest and he stumbled back. They hit a wave which sent him back even further until his knees hit the edge of the boat. He couldn't even scream as the fear paralyzed him. His fingers slipped off of everything he reached for and then he was being swallowed by the cold deep abyss that pulled him under the more he struggled against it.

He remembered the exact moment he last saw the view before him. The surface looked like a dream, so beautiful yet so unreal, so far out of reach as it sloshed above him. He felt so weightless. So suffocated.

He remembered. It was the prettiest blue he had ever seen and he could still feel her fingers slipping out of his and the dark as it pulled her away.

It hurt as the water filled his lungs. It hurt knowing he was going to die.

_Evan._

He looked up at the surface just as his vision was fading and there he was, all perfection and purpose rolled into one swimming down, fingers reaching.

Jonathan grinned, thanking whatever deity had allowed him that small fleeting image of his lover before he was taken for good. Before his eyes shut for the last time as he breathed in the liquid cold that had haunted him for seventeen years. It was probably laughing, amused that it had taken this long to finally pull him under once and for all.

And he could feel it pulling with its strong hands. It kissed at his mouth with wet lips, calling his name and it hurt because it sounded so sweet, just like Evan.

* * *

"Oh shit!"

"Delirious!" Evan heard Brian yell and he turned to find only two men where there should have been three. His hockey mask was lying alone on the deck and the dread crawled up his throat making the hair on his head stand up.

"Marcel! Turn us around!" He yelled over the wind then he was stepping toward a wide eyed Nogla, grabbing him by his shirt.

"What did you do?!"

"I pushed and he went over! I didn't mean -"

Evan lifted him and threw him down to the deck where he clamped a hand over his throat. "He can't fucking swim!"

Nogla coughed beneath his tight grasp and Brian was panicking behind him. "Oh, fuck! Boss, we didn't know!"

Evan left Nogla stunned on his back and pointed an accusing finger at Brian. "You."

The Irish went silent, clamping his mouth shut. "You shut the fuck up, do you understand me?"

Brian dropped his head like a dog and Evan forgot about him, forgot about everything as they circled back around for Jonathan and he was nowhere to be found. Evan couldn't breathe as he searched the water for anything until he caught sight of pale fingers that were sinking, reaching for the surface.

He dove into the deep blue ocean and he swam down towards those fingers that he knew so fucking well. Those fingers that knew exactly how to take care of him, take care of his pain. He reached for them, finally feeling his hand slide into his and he pulled, meeting Jonathan's crystal eyes before they slid shut.

He kicked his way to the surface, pulling in a long breath and pushing Jonathan toward Marcel's and Brian's hands until they pulled him into the boat. He pulled himself up and over, reaching for Jonathan's pale body, pumping at his chest, breathing air into his flooded lungs. Marcel was yelling but he couldn't hear anything other than his heart pounding in his ears and the thunder in the distance. He couldn't feel anything but Jonathan's cold body beneath him. He felt hot tears run down and drop from the top of his nose.

"Come on, Jonathan!" He placed his mouth over his one more time. "Come on, baby, breathe."

Jonathan coughed and Evan lost the feeling in his legs. He dropped his head into his chest and listened to him pull in air, listened to him live. Then he felt Jonathan's heartbeat, felt his hand run through his soaked hair, heard him say his name.

Marcel looked at Brian and Nogla and shook his head, "You guys are so fucked."

Evan sat up and leaned against the side of the boat, pulling Jonathan up with him, holding tight against his chest as he shook. He looked at Marcel, "Call Luke, tell him to meet us at the docks."

"You got it, Boss." Marcel got behind the wheel and took them to shore while he clicked on his ear piece. "Luke!"

* * *

Luke was already standing on the creaky wood of the pier while he watched the two boats dock. He tried to keep calm as he helped Evan walk Jonathan to the car. He was weak and Evan was shaking, he could see it in his fingertips.

"Luke. If he had died, I'd kill them myself. But we can't afford to lose anyone. Just make sure they don't forget." Evan squeezed his shoulder and got into the car.

"They won't." Luke said and shut the door behind them, giving Marcel a nod as they pulled away. He felt the fire burning in his chest as he walked past the rest of the crew. "You boys head home, this'll take a while."

He stepped into the boat and Nogla was already pleading with him. He held up a hand, "Save your breath. You're going to need it."

"Luke, come on, man. It was an accident!" Brian had his hands clasped together in prayer.

"I said save your breath! So shut your fucking trap!" Luke cranked the boat and took them offshore once again into the open water. Once he liked how much distance there was between them and the shore he let the boat idle and stood, "Out, both of you."

"What?! You can't be serious?"

Luke pulled his pistol out and cocked it before pointing it at Nogla, "I won't tell you again."

They went quiet and shed their clothes before jumping into the ocean. The sun was high in the sky and Luke got comfortable as he let the boat drift slowly back to shore. "Now swim. If you stop, I'll shoot one of you and then you'll have to dodge sharks the rest of they way back. So, come on you fucks. Swim!"

* * *

Jonathan was quiet, which is what Evan expected as he led him inside once they were home in the hills. He took the wet clothes from their bodies and fixed them a warm shower to wash away the salty ocean, to wash away what had happened.

He put him down in the sheets and lay beside him, running his fingers over his face trying not think about how close he came to losing him. Losing everything.

Jonathan finally met his eyes and whispered, "I've never seen you cry."

Evan blinked and he felt the tears fall and hit the pillow. "I almost lost you."

"You didn't." Evan felt his lip tremble and Jonathan was wiping the wetness from his face and then Evan was burying his face against him. Jonathan kissed his cheek, kissed his shoulder, his fingers. He kissed everything he could find until he reached his mouth and that's when Evan started touching. He wrapped his body around Jonathan's, letting his hands feel every inch of his skin until was sure he was really there and not still sinking to the ocean floor. The thought alone made him sick.

"Evan." Jonathan said and the sound that came from the back of throat was a plea. "Make me forget."

Evan pulled back to look at him only to find his eyes brighter than before with his own tears. Jonathan sucked in an uneven breath. "Make me forget because all I can see is blue and her fingers slipping out of mine and I can't breathe."

"Shh." Evan kissed at his face.

"Just make me feel good again." He cried. "Please."

"Okay." Evan said between kisses. "Okay."

And Evan did what he could to make him stop crying, to make him stop hurting. He did what he could to replace the pain with something good as he ran his hands over him endlessly, slicking his fingers, working him open until Jonathan was digging his fingers into him.

Evan made love to him the only way he knew how; slowly, desperately trying to pour his feelings into the steady motion of their bodies sliding against one another's.

He whispered 'I love you's' against his skin until the sun dropped beneath the water, until they were both undeniably sated and heavy with sleep.

Jonathan was the first to wake, squinting against the pale light of the morning. He traced the scar over Evan's stomach, the one he had earned while protecting him. It wasn't the only one and that wasn't the first time he had killed for him.

Evan stirred.

"It was my sister." Jonathan spoke into the silence and Evan turned his head to listen.

"I was ten. We were at the beach and she got pulled out in a rip current. I couldn't swim, but no one was around and she was so far out. I tried but she slipped away. Like sand between my fingers."

"I'm sorry." Evan drew circles on his back as they watched the sun rise in silence. "I don't want you to be afraid anymore."

"I'll always be afraid of something."

"So will I." Evan sat up. "I'll always be afraid of losing you. So, meet me at the pool around noon. I'm going to teach you how to swim."

Jonathan thought he'd feel dread, but he felt a calm wash over him and he grinned, "Alright."

Evan dragged him out of bed into the open kitchen where they put music on and cooked enough breakfast for everyone. Jonathan didn't have a clue where Nogla or Brian were but he noticed Luke sitting at the bar looking rather pleased with himself.

Jonathan raised a brow at him suspiciously, "What did you do?"

Luke shrugged while he dug into the plate Evan sat in front of him, "Nothing unusual."

Jonathan shook his head, "That could literally mean _anything_."

Evan laughed warmly and kissed him when he looked back at him confused. "They're fine, don't worry. A little worse for wear, but they'll live."

Jonathan still didn't understand until the two Irish came trudging in the door, soaked from head to toe, pale, and completely exhausted.

They walked past, breathless and caught Jonathan's eye. "We're sorry, Delirious. Won't ever happen again."

Luke looked their way and they both flinched. "Save your breath, boys. Looks like you need it."

_-w.a.l.k._


	3. Another Form of Art

"Okay, so tell me something." Lui asked and shoved his hands in his pockets as he and Delirious scouted out the Ammu-Nation building. They leaned back against the brick wall across the street and watched customers slowly filter in and out of the store. To everyone else they looked like two friends having a simple chat, but they had ulterior motives. Such as waiting to see if one person in particular showed up to make a trade with the owner, Fitch. Fitch had tipped Evan off a few days prior that one of the guys that the crew had been looking for had come forward with an offer and he was willing to give him up in exchange for protection from his gang. Evan had agreed and here they were scoping the place out waiting for the guy to show.

"Hm?" Jonathan cracked his knuckles before he casually thumbed through his phone, pretending to be busy.

"I know you're like, technically the co-leader and everything of the crew. But how long have you and Evan been, you know, together?" Lui asked and Jonathan looked up at him, squinting against the midday sun.

"Together? Or together together?"

Lui shrugged. "Both, I guess. I never really heard either story from the beginning."

"Alright. Well, I came across a recruitment message that had been sent out. This guy, Evan, was looking for a point man for a robbery. This was years ago now, but I remember that I was on the verge of being desperate for a job because I didn't have a gang or a crew. All I had was Luke and he was gone on business at the time. So I contacted the guy and after the job went down he asked me to stick around and I did."

They watched another guy leave the store, but it wasn't who they were looking for.

"So he liked you _that_ much on that job that he asked you to stay?" Lui asked, clearly in disbelief.

"Yeah." Jonathan smirked at him.

Lui shook his head and huffed, "If only it had been that easy for me. I had to show off and then beg to stay."

Jonathan gave a laugh, "I know. I remember."

Lui rolled his eyes and leaned back against the brick, "So when did you guys get_ together_ together? I know you guys just slowly got there, we all saw it, but don't know when it actually happened."

"I mean, I liked him from day one. I don't know when he became attracted to me, but he saved me from my addiction and I've loved him ever since. Now as for when it actually came to light, it was after we let that huge shipment run out on the streets so they could track it all down. It was after all that commotion died down and we finally had the time to talk about us. It was then, so like, a year and a half now we've been together."

Lui looked at him and grinned crookedly, "You guys are cute, I admit. You're like Bonnie and Clyde."

Jonathan smiled and shrugged, "If you say so."

At that moment, their target walked into the store and they pushed themselves off the wall and made their way across the street.

"So, you come up with a way to make this guy's death look like an accident yet?" Lui asked.

"Yeah," Jonathan said and nodded as they parted ways. Lui went in through the front door while Delirious circled around to the back exit if the guy ran.

And he did. They always ran.

Marcel was waiting in the alleyway when Jonathan tightened a ziptie around the smuggler's wrists after he had tackled him to the ground. Lui helped him cram the guy into the suv and Jonathan told Marcel to get them up to Mt. Chiliad.

He cut the guy loose once they had reached the top and the cold air whipped around them.

"If you're gonna kill me, then do it already!" The man yelled.

Delirious simply smiled and cut him free before he handed the confused thug a parachute.

"The fuck is this for?"

"You." Delirious pulled out his pistol and pointed it at his chest. "Jump."

The guy went pale but he didn't hesitate as he strapped himself in. They watched him jump and soon they saw the parachute open as the sun set in the distance.

"Shoot one of the straps, Lui."

Lui didn't bat an eye as he set up his scoped rifle on the cliffside and in one silent shot, he met his target. They watched the man struggle, watched him fall, watched him hit the earth.

It was a beautiful day.

"Let's go home, boys. We're done." Delirious sighed as he looked out at the scenery one more time.

"Aye aye, Captain." Lui clapped him on the shoulder and they rode back in a calm silence. What they did, they did to make life easier for the whole city, even if no one agreed with it. Even if no one knew they were actually the good guys.

* * *

Everything was going the way it always did, according to their well thought out plans. Everything was always as it should be under Evan's command. And if Evan wanted Delirious to run downtown with Brock and Tyler to get groceries, then that's what they would do. Someone had to and they had to eat.

"You want some JuJubes?" Jonathan asked Evan before they left and his boss gave him a look.

"Is that rhetorical? You know I do." Evan said and Jonathan gave him a wink before he left him alone in his office.

They looked like three normal guys buying enough food for an army, which technically they were. This was as close to family as Jonathan could get. This gang was his life and they were his brothers.

"Mm. Oatmeal! Delirious, your favorite!" Brock laughed when Jonathan made a disgusted face.

"You know I hate that shit. Get it away from me!"

"Haha!"

They shopped for a good two hours and had three carts full of food and snacks and as they were loading up the bags into the truck Jonathan ran across the street to the only gas station in the city that carried JuJubes. The gummy sweets that were Evan's favorite. As he was checking out at the counter he felt the hairs stand up on the back of his neck. A cold chill ran down his spine and for a moment he wished he hadn't decided to go out without his jacket. But when someone behind him said his name he felt the goosebumps rise on his skin. He'd never forgotten that voice.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't little Jonathan."

He swallowed and the girl behind the counter, Liza, whom he'd befriended months ago caught his eye. She was scared and he could see her starting to go pale.

"Go to the storage room and don't come out until we're gone." He said and she skittered off without a word. Then he turned and met the guy's cold stare. "Murphy."

"Not so little anymore, I see."

"What do you want?"

The man shrugged and his two thug bodyguards laughed when he said, "Just what you owe me."

Jonathan saw familiar headlights coming across the street. "I don't owe you shit."

"We'll see about that."

* * *

Evan knew something was wrong but he couldn't tell what it was. All he knew was that Jonathan was acting off. He smiled differently when he handed him his JuJubes. He laughed differently while they all had dinner. And anytime he caught his eye, Jonathan would look away. That alone made Evan sick to his stomach. So he waited until Jonathan said he was going to bed and pulled Tyler and Brock to the side where he asked them quietly, "Did something happen while you guys were out?"

Tyler raised a brow, "No, everything was fine. We were all laughing, having a good time."

"Yeah, everything was fine." Brock nodded. "But he got quiet after he came out of the gas station. I mean, Delirious can be quiet and it's nothing out of the ordinary but considering we were all in a pretty good mood when we came out of the store, it was a little off. I don't know. We came across the road to pick him up, but nothing happened. He didn't say anything at least."

Evan shook his head, "He wouldn't, because he's such a stubborn ass."

"There were a few guys in there, big guys. Maybe they had something to do with it?" Tyler tried.

"I'll talk to him." Evan said goodnight to everyone and retreated to the bedroom where there was already a long slender figure beneath the sheets. He stepped out of his clothes and crawled into the blankets behind him, pulling him close so he could kiss the space between his shoulders. He waited to see if Jonathan was going to relax, but he never did. His muscles remained tense and Evan knew that meant he wouldn't fall asleep that night.

"You know I'm going to ask, so why don't you go ahead and tell me what happened." He kissed the back of his neck reassuringly. "Unless you don't want to talk."

"I really don't."

"Well, you're not going to sleep, so if we're gonna lay here all night we may as well talk. Or do something else." Evan ran his nose across his skin and Jonathan sighed.

"Let's do something else." Jonathan said and turned in his arms to kiss him.

"You're going to tell me eventually." Evan said as he gripped his body tight, the heat rising between them.

Jonathan straddled his waist, "Yeah, but not today."

* * *

It had been a week and Jonathan hadn't heard from his old enemy yet. Murphy wasn't someone who forgot and he wasn't one to show his face like that either, not since he and his gang had disappeared over ten years ago. Just up and vanished after they had been found out by the feds and had made too many enemies.

"Hang tight, Marcel. I'll be right back." Jonathan said and hopped out of the truck with a package in hand that was to be delivered to a fellow gang leader, Olsen. He made a turn down an alley and beat his fist against the metal door.

When it opened, he wasn't prepared for the fist that met his face, or the one that hit him in the ribs. He looked up from the ground only to find Murphy's men staring down at him.

"Where's Olsen?"

Then the massive Latino stepped into view, "Don't worry about Olsen. I'd worry about yourself."

"I told you, I don't owe you shit."

"I took you in! I gave you money to live off of when you were on the streets!" Murphy yelled and Jonathan could see the spit flying through the air. He pushed himself to his feet.

"I didn't ask for any of that. You saw me alone on the road one day and shoved your offers down my throat. You forced your money on me so that I was obligated to do your dirty work. And then you disappeared. I didn't want it and I don't owe you. If anything, Murph, you owe me for fucking sticking around as long as I did." Jonathan kept his cool. He was outnumbered and if he avoided further punches it wouldn't be long before Marcel realized something was up.

Murphy laughed, "Jonathan. I'm back in business and from what I hear you are one of the top dogs around here now. So, sounds to me like you should be helping me out as a favor for keeping your ass alive all those years ago."

Jonathan stood tall, "No, Murphy. I'm second in command of the most powerful gang in Los Santos and you must think I'm stupid. One signal and I could have you killed right now where you're standing."

"I'd shoot you before they could pull the trigger." Murphy threatened and Jonathan heard the cock of a gun. He turned to find Marcel locked and loaded standing at the end of the alley.

"Try me, big boy." Marcel aimed and then Jonathan saw the red dot of Lui's sights on Murphy's chest. He couldn't see the little guy but he knew he was up high somewhere out of sight.

"This isn't over." The man spat and turned around, disappearing intside of Olsen's hideout with his men.

* * *

The ride back was tense.

"Who the fuck was that?" Lui asked when he jumped in backseat as they sped off.

Jonathan turned on the safety on his pistol, "That was Murphy Ortiz. Back from the fucking dead."

"Murphy Ortiz? Are you fucking serious? That guy and his entire gang vanished ten years ago because the feds drove them out." Marcel shook his head. "Fucking Christ. Olsen is probably dead and Evan is going to be pissed."

Jonathan cut his eyes at him, "No one says a word to Evan. Not until I do, you got that?"

They both nodded as they raced down the road.

"So how does he know you?" Lui asked and Jonathan took a deep breath. He thought this was one thing about his past that would never surface again, but here it was.

"I used to be his dealer."

* * *

The walk from the garage to the house was excruciatingly nerve wracking. Jonathan knew his lip and eye was swollen and he probably had a pretty bruise on his rib cage by now. He could feel it every time he took a breath. Evan was going to see him and then shit was going to hit the fan. Big time.

They walked through the front door and the house was quiet all except the television that was softly playing in the background. Some of the guy were stretched out on the couch, either napping or sipping at their drinks. Brian turned and caught his eye, his brows inching up his forehead when he saw how rough he looked. Jonathan put a finger to his lips and Brian nodded, keeping his questions to himself and staying quiet.

"You got this?" Marcel asked him when he approached Evan's office door.

"I got it, thanks." He gave them a nod as they turned to leave. He turned the knob to find Evan sitting at his desk going through papers, blueprints, and scribbling things down with a pencil. He had a leg pulled up in his chair and he was biting at his thumb. The fact that he was shirtless and only wearing sweatpants completely threw Jonathan off for a moment. He almost forgot why he had walked in there in the first place.

"Why are you so fucking hot?" He said and walked up behind him, running his fingers down his sides. Evan hummed and turned his head to look at him and the shock that spread across his face was terrifying. He went to from confused, to concerned, to angry all within a few seconds and he was standing with his hands on Jonathan before he could process it.

"What the fuck, Jonathan!?"

He gave a light laugh and pulled Evan's hands down away from his face, "Evan, I'm fine. Before you try to play Doctor and take care of me, let me explain."

"Who did this to you?" Evan asked after he calmed down slightly. Jonathan could still see the anger in his eyes.

"Murphy."

Evan went still. "Murphy Ortiz."

Jonathan nodded. "Yeah. He's back in town, but you probably already knew that. I didn't. Last week I ran into him at the gas station and he's been insisting ever since that I owe him."

"Why would you owe him?" Evan asked and Jonathan was becoming visibly stressed they longer they stood there. Evan caught his chin, "You're hurting."

He nodded and tried to fight back the pain in his side, but it was stabbing at him and he took a quick breath, "Okay, you can play Doctor now while I tell you the rest."

Evan ran and got him some pain reliever and bandages and rags from Tyler's stash while Jonathan stripped and stretched out on their bed. "Talk to me."

Jonathan relaxed the best he could while Evan placed ice on his side and ran his hands over him soothingly. "When I was sixteen, I was living with Luke and at the time I was looking for anything to do. He was gone out of state and I was alone and I made the stupid mistake of walking into the slums one night. That's where Murphy's guys found me and picked me off the streets. They forcefully recruited me and Murphy threw money in my face, said if I wanted to keep it that I better start doing what I was told."

"I heard about him a long time ago." Evan said. "I heard about him stealing people off the street and making them do his work. Bribing. He's fucking dirty."

Jonathan sighed, wincing slightly. "I didn't know what to do, so I kept working for him. I ran deals and I was surprisingly good at it and soon I was his favorite. Until the feds showed up when I wasn't around, he disappeared. They all did and I was left with a shitload of money that I could never get off my hands. So I waited for Luke to get back and I told him and he said that we should take the opportunity to get ourselves going. For years, that's all we did. We did random jobs and small contracts until we had some reputation. Then I met you."

Evan leaned down and kissed his shoulder.

"Evan. I think he killed Olsen. He's probably using his set up to get himself going again and we have no idea how many men he already has."

"We can handle it."

"I want him dead." Jonathan said without a second thought. "I want him dead _today_, Evan."

"Yeah?"

He sat up, "Yeah. I was just thinking about the first time you ever kissed me. I had a fucking bullet in my shoulder and there was gunfire and blood everywhere. And watching you kill the guy that shot me . . . . just did it for me. I think about you sticking your blade through his skull and I fucking get chills every time. I want you to do that again. I want you to kill him, Evan, because he put me through so much shit and I was only sixteen. He always threatened to give me to his men if I didn't do as I was told. And you know, no sexually confused teenager wants to get raped by a gang. I have such a fucked up life. I wish I could have killed him myself back then. Now he's back to fucking haunt me and I just want him gone."

"Hey," Evan ran his fingers over his lips before he kissed him soft. "I was going to kill him today whether you wanted me to or not. Just because he touched you."

* * *

It was dark, Jonathan favorite time of day because he could disappear into the night, into the shadows, and his targets never knew he was coming. Just like now in the alleyway. His footsteps were silent and Brock was right behind him as they approached two guards outside of Olsen's door. They slipped up behind the unsuspecting men and he felt the snapping of his neck beneath his fingers. They fell to the ground with two heavy thumps and Jonathan gave the signal. Evan appeared from the shadows and Craig was behind him with a lockpick and he quickly got to work on the door. It creaked open once he heard a click and they moved in fast with precision, silencing any that stood in their way.

They heard muffled cries coming from somewhere in the building and Evan glanced around at the them, "Brock, Craig, Nogla. Search down below. Lui and Marcel get up top. See if you can't find where that's coming from. It could be Olsen's men. He might be there, too. Go!"

Jonathan watched them run off and he stayed right behind Evan as they cleared out the rest of the rooms. But they were empty. All but one that was locked from the inside. Evan shot the handle and kicked it open to find the guy he was looking for.

"Murphy." Evan pointed his gun at him and the man froze in his seat. "Please, don't get up for me."

He raised his hands and glared at Jonathan, "Who the fuck is this?"

"I told you I was only _second_ in command." Jonathan said and felt a shiver run through him when Evan pulled out his knife and leaned in close to the man.

"This is what happens when you show up on someone else's turf and touch something that doesn't belong you." Evan seethed and at that moment a loud bang could be heard below them. They all jumped and Jonathan felt something hit him on the back of the head and his vision blurred before his knees hit the floor. He looked up to see Evan and Murphy in a muscled mess on the floor, rolling, punching.

"Ahh!" Evan yelled when something pierced his side. "Enough playing, you worthless fuck!"

He grabbed the small concealed blade from Murphy's hand and threw it at the man that had joined them in the room after knocking Jonathan to the floor. It stuck him in the chest and his stumbled back out into the hallway. Evan found his own knife again when Jonathan met his eyes and slid it across the floor where it had landed next to him.

His fist closed around the hilt and it sank into the soft tan flesh of Murphy's tattooed throat and Evan had never felt so satisfied in his entire life. He'd never wanted so badly to see blood spewing relentlessly as he watched the life fade from the man's eyes. And he almost grinned when he coughed around words that tried to form before his head hit the floor as his soul left him.

"Evan . . ." He heard Jonathan say but he was extremely dizzy and he saw the room starting to go dark. "You're bleeding. Shit!"

"I'm . . . okay." He muttered before he fell to floor unconscious.

"No, no, no!" Jonathan screamed and all of a sudden there were too many people in the room. Their guys, Olsen, and Olsen's men, and he was panicking. "Someone fucking help him!"

He could hear Olsen's voice within the crowded room, "Get Abernathy. Set up the clean room. Roy, Miller, get Vanoss in there right now!"

* * *

"Jonathan."

Luke wasn't sure what was worse; the fact that his best friend hadn't shut his eyes in two days or the fact that he'd been staring at the sun for hours.

"Jonathan."

"What?" He finally spoke and Luke swallowed past the nerves in his stomach at his friend's bitter tone.

"He's okay."

"No fucking thanks to me. He could've died and it was all because of_ me_."

Luke sighed and sat down next to him. "I could have died every day that we were friends. You could have died, too. But we stuck together anyway. It is the exact same thing with you and Evan. With all of us. We take that risk because we matter to each other. Don't fucking blame yourself."

Jonathan finally took his eyes off the sun and for a moment he was blind and he blinked away the spots, feeling Luke's fingers squeeze reassuringly at his shoulder. "Why don't you go see him, he's awake now."

* * *

When Evan opened his eyes it hurt and he knew he was home in his own bed now instead of on the terrible metal counter of Olsen's med bay. The light was blinding him and he reached for the sheet to pull it over his eyes but he touched something warm and alive instead.

"Mm." He breathed in the smell of Jonathan and he ran his fingers over him, feeling him breath. "Hey."

"Hey." He whispered and guided Evan's hand up to his face where he kissed it before pulling him closer. "How do you feel?"

"Fine. I told you I was okay."

Jonathan rolled his eyes. "Yeah, right before you passed out and hit the floor. You big idiot."

Evan smiled and tried not to laugh as not to hurt his side. "I'm going to have a scar."

Jonathan smiled, "One of many to come, I'm sure."

"Just another form of art in my opinion. Art with a story behind it. And I'd take a scar for you any day if it means protecting you." Evan said softly and ran his finger over the tiny scar that had settled on the inside of Jonathan's thigh months ago. It was such an odd shape, almost a perfect heart and Jonathan didn't like to talk about it because it involved a cookie cutter and brownie batter and he'd never forget the way he had fallen to the floor. Brownies flew through the air and Evan couldn't breath from laughing so hard. But once that scar had healed, Evan couldn't keep his fingers off of it and it made Jonathan hot.

"It's kind of sexy, to be honest." Jonathan kissed at his jaw where a small scar resided and he moved down to his arm until he kissed his faint childhood scar that ran down his bicep. "Don't ask me why. Your scars are hot. Everything about you is hot."

"Even my scruff?" Evan asked as he felt his unshaven face and grinned like a little kid when Jonathan looked up at him.

"Especially your scruff." Jonathan continued his journey down and pulled at the briefs around Evan's smooth hips. "Want me to show you another form of art?"

_-w.a.l.k._


	4. Sofa King: NSFW

Evan was walking around in his sweatpants after he finished his workout with Brock and he was wandering past the kitchen into the living room.

Jonathan and most of the boys were piled up on the couch watching old reruns of Lost, shoving popcorn in their mouths as they passed the bowl around.

Evan silently walked over to the back of the sofa and flicked Jonathan on the ear. He smiled when he flinched and swatted him away.

"Cut it out." Jonathan mumbled before he turned his attention back to the television. He wasn't wearing his jacket and Evan loved it when he didn't. He loved seeing him in a tight white shirt that hugged his every muscle, a shirt that showed just how lean and fit he really was. It was sexy and Evan could see the tendons in his neck as he turned back to glare at him when he flicked him in the ear again.

"Evan, I swear. Do it one more time. I dare you." He said and Evan, being in a rare playful mood, did it again.

Luke kicked the coffee table so it slid to the other side of the room just in time as Jonathan caught Evan's arm and pulled him over the back of the couch.

He flipped over the sofa and rolled into the floor, pulling Jonathan down with him, laughing his ass off as everyone jumped at the sudden struggle in front of them.

"Ow! You asshole!" Jonathan yelled and rolled on top of Evan who was lying beneath him looking a little smug with himself. Up until Jonathan started poking him in his ticklish spot, then he got serious.

"No." Evan grabbed his wrist, but Jonathan used his other hand to tickle him again. Evan couldn't help but laugh. "Please, don't!"

Lui leaned over and said to Nogla, "Wanna place bets?"

"Bets? Did I hear bets?" Mini sat up.

Everyone looked around as the two grown men rolled and struggled against each other on the hardwood floor.

"You are fucking cheating!"

"How am I cheating!? It's not my fault you're so ticklish!" Jonathan said and grabbed Evan hard in his ribs and he thought the man was going to suffocate himself. He was laughing but it was so hard it was silent.

"This is weird." Brian said and glanced around. "Does anyone else feel weird watching this?"

Everyone gave a collective, "Yes."

Luke chuckled, "We just haven't seen them play with each other."

Lui snorted. "Wow, Toonz."

"Yeah that didn't sound the way I wanted it to." Luke laughed.

Brian stood and dusted the popcorn remains from his jeans. "Well, boys. I'm going to vacate the premises before things get heated between them. I can see it coming from a mile away. I'd rather not see it at all so, I'm gonna hit the pool."

Brian wasn't wrong because two minutes after he left, Evan finally got the upper hand and rolled Jonathan over. He proceeded to bury his face in his neck and things became heated faster than he planned. He rolled his hips down on him and Jonathan slid his hands down into Evan's sweatpants, grabbing at his ass. That's when the audience quickly got to their feet.

"Alright, yep, we'll see you guys down at the pool." Mini said and sped out of the room with Nogla hot on his heels.

Luke stood and held out a hand for Lui and pulled him to his feet. "You guys know where to find us. No rush, take your time."

They didn't get a reply, just a laugh from Jonathan when Evan tried to pull his shirt over his head and it got stuck. When he finally did Evan leaned down and caught his lips, silencing his giggles.

"Jesus, they are seriously about to fuck on the living room floor." Lui shook his head.

Luke just laughed as they made their way down the stairs and onto the deck where everyone else was already stripping down to their shorts.

Back upstairs Jonathan was smiling against his lover's lips as he pushed the sweatpants down the firm muscles of his legs. Evan was kissing the soft skin of his neck and collar bone, sending heat directly where it needed to go.

"There's lube under the couch." Jonathan said and shook his head when Evan sat up and raised a confused brow at him. "Don't ask why. Just get it."

Jonathan lifted his hips and let Evan yank his jeans and briefs off before he settled on top of him again, slicking his fingers and immediately pushing in, earning him a sweet sound of surprise.

"Tell me where." Evan whispered hotly in his ear as his long fingers prodded and searched. Jonathan was breathing heavily and pushing down on him trying to aid him in his indeavor.

He was fighting back the fire from just feeling Jonathan squirming on his fingers and he clamped down on his neck when he felt Jonathan's muscles tighten around him. His back arched off the floor and he nearly screamed.

"There!"

Jonathan dug his nails into Evan's skin as he kept pressure on that one spot, rubbing, teasing, driving him to the fucking edge without laying a hand on his cock.

"Holy fuck … Evan."

Evan pulled his fingers away and he stood, pulling Jonathan up with him. He fell back onto the couch and looked up at his blue eyes and grinned. "Ride me."

Jonathan wet his lips while he watched Evan slick himself up and then he crawled onto the couch wasting no time lining himself up and sinking down onto him. Evan's hands gripped his waist and he moved his hips, helping him start a smooth and steady rhythm that had him brushing that spot again.

He had Jonathan panting, rocking himself to orgasm while he stroked him through it.

"That's so fucking good …" Jonathan gasped. Evan pulled him down for a deep kiss, pulling at his short hair and nipping at his tongue. He pushed Jonathan down onto his cock again, this time roughly and Jonathan cried out again.

Evan pulled him close and let his muscles finally coil, until he felt his climax hit him as Jonathan rode him through it. Until he was sated and empty.

He couldn't fucking breathe. "My God …"

"Yeah." Jonathan heaved and fell against him. They were both slick with sweat and Jonathan lifted his head when he heard a door open. He watched Marcel throw car keys on the kitchen counter and open the fridge. He gulped down half a bottle of water before he looked over and caught his eye.

Jonathan broke into a grin and Evan started laughing beneath him.

"Are you fucking serious?!" Marcel yelled, shutting the refrigerator and storming off. "That's the third time I've walked in on you assholes!"

"Maybe you should just wear a blindfold from now on! You'll never see us again!" Jonathan called after him and they heard a faint, "Fuck you guys!"

"He'll get over it." Evan laughed and pulled Jonathan down for another kiss.

"Mm."


	5. Trigger: NSFW

**WARNING! THIS A TOP!JONATHAN GANG AU. THIS IS SMUT. DO NOT READ IF YOU DO NOT LIKE TOP!JONATHAN. I WILL NOT APOLOGISE. HAVE A GOOD DAY. :) **

* * *

Everyone had a trigger and it was only a matter of time before you stumbled upon it, accidentally or intentionally.

And once that said trigger was found, you got to see a side of that person you've never seen before. Whether it's anger, laughter, pleasure, or just a blank stare.

Everyone had something that set them off, calmed them down, or did something else entirely and Evan was about to learn a very valuable piece of information concerning his blue eyed friend.

He knew most of the crew's triggers. For Craig it was the sound of other people eating and it made him want to murder, consequences be damned. For Brock, it was the sound of metal scraping a plate or someone sharpening a knife, it made him sick to his stomach. For Tyler, it was the word 'moist', it made him cringe. For Lui, it was whenever Nogla pursed his lips, it made him laugh no matter where they were or what situation they were in. Nogla's trigger on the other hand was Lui's lack of personal space. It calmed him in ways nothing else could. So they were found more often than not, sitting shoulder to shoulder.

For Brian, it was hearing a certain song. It made him get lost in his thoughts for hours. And for Luke it was hearing Jonathan laugh. Nothing made his day better than listening to him giggle, knowing something had made him happy. It put him at ease.

Evan didn't know what his trigger was. Nothing had ever made him snap or completely lose his train of thought.

And for Jonathan, he didn't know his trigger either and he'd never bothered to ask. Perhaps he didn't have one. He'd never given it much thought, but when he did it was while he was sitting on the counter by the bar taking his pistol apart piece by piece, setting them out on an old dirty rag. The smell of metal and grease filled his nose and not a minute later, Jonathan wandered into the kitchen searching for water.

He didn't look at Evan but he was breathless, breathing heavily from his nose. Evan watched him closely as the sweat ran down his shirtless back and he felt the warmth in his belly.

Jonathan had taken to running a few miles when he had a lot on his mind and needed to get out for while. Evan joined him occasionally, but only if he asked him to. When he did they usually came home and went straight for the bedroom and blew off their leftover energy in the sheets or in the shower.

He always ran late in the evening as the sun was dropping so the temperature was cooler and he wouldn't have a heat stroke on the side of the road. So the fact that he was standing in the kitchen sweating at almost eight o'clock in the evening, didn't surprise Evan at all.

"How was your run?" He asked and Jonathan paused to swallow his water. He shrugged and dug around in the refrigerator for something to munch on.

"Mm, I got a few whistles. Oh, and I saw a chicken crossing the road." Jonathan giggled to himself and heard Nogla walk into the kitchen behind him.

"Wha, and you didn't catch it? We could've had it for eatin'." Daithi said seriously and reached around him to get two beers from the fridge.

Jonathan laughed, "Maybe next time. I don't know how I feel about you gracing us with another one of your hometown recipes tonight."

"Lui likes my recipes."

Evan held back a laugh, "Lui doesn't want to hurt your feelings."

"Whatever. Ye fucks." With a roll of his eyes Nogla turned and left.

Jonathan finally looked over at him sitting there with grease all over his fingers and he nearly choked on his air. He felt the heat engulf his entire body and he tried to will it away but his fingers were becoming restless and his train of thought was derailing. Evan paid him no mind and kept looking down the barrel of his gun, sliding the small metal stick with a cloth tip on the end of it through the small opening. In and out, over and over, until it was cleaner than one of their crime scenes.

Jonathan slowly shuffled forward, feeling new sweat beading against his skin and when his hands hit the counter, straining and splayed out against the cold marble, Evan finally looked up at him. A look Jonathan was very unfamiliar with spread across Evan's face. He didn't know what to call it but as he moved around the bar he could see the pulse in Evan's neck fluttering wildly.

Jonathan had never felt like this before, like he was ferrel and couldn't control himself or the hunger clawing at the end of his fingertips. The craving to just tear into Evan and make him scream.

He stopped behind the Asian and for once in his life he felt dominance run through him. Evan had stopped cleaning the metal and Jonathan watched the goosebumps rise on his skin when he leaned down a whispered in his ear, "Keep going."

Evan obeyed, letting his fingers continue their smooth dance as he slowly wiped his pistol down until there wasn't a spec of dust left on it. He felt himself trembling and Jonathan's nose was touching the back of his neck, his tongue ghosting over his skin. This was new and he was burning when he felt his teeth latch onto the sensitive skin between his neck and shoulder. Evan had never felt so weak, like he was losing breath and his control on the situation. He gripped the edge of the marble in front of him, bracing himself when Jonathan pressed himself against him as he leaned forward to catch his jaw in his fingers. He pulled at Evan's face until he was looking up, giving him access to the expanse of neck that had always been his favourite. His teeth grazed the apple of his throat and he heard Evan groan when he let his hand travel down his bare chest, his nails paying no mind to what they scratched.

Jonathan had never seen him breathless like this. It made the heat pool a little faster, his hunger getting unbearable and he found himself pushing Evan flat against the bar, placing chaste kisses against his tan back. He watched the muscles stretch and pull beneath his skin as he shook beneath his touch and Jonathan had never felt so fucking alive.

The sounds that Evan was letting slip from his mouth were driving him up the fucking wall. The short breaths, the small moans as Jonathan nipped at his skin and slipped a hand beneath his loose shorts letting his fingers slide roughly against the soft skin of his stiff cock.

"Shit . . ."

Jonathan grinned and shoved Evan's shorts down and let his own sweatpants fall past his knees, letting his own erection rest against Evan's perfect ass. Evan pushed back against him and it was such an elating feeling. The feeling of Evan on the opposite side, the receiving end, practically begging for it. Jonathan shoved him back against the counter and he saw the grin spread across the side of his boss' face. He watched his fingers reach for the glass bottle on the bar that was just out of reach.

Jonathan swatted his hand away and grabbed it himself, pouring a bit of the olive oil on his fingers, pressing his fingers slightly against Evan's hole. "Relax."

He waited until Evan went slack with his face flat against the cold marble. Jonathan kept a firm hand on Evan's cock, rubbing him slowly in time with his finger that had slipped in. He worked him until he could slip another one in, faltering when Evan gave a small gasp and rocked back against him. Jonathan squeezed him tighter, pressed into him further feeling his muscles relaxing, accepting him, and when his long fingers prodded far enough Evan let out a noise that Jonathan didn't know he could produce.

"Holy fucking hell just fuck me!" He yelled out and pushed back against him hard. Jonathan was on the verge of losing it, but he needed this to last just a bit longer. And for this to be his first time the other way around, he wanted to witness it.

He leaned down against his ear, rubbing his palm over the head of Evan's cock and he was whimpering, gasping for air like he'd just run ten miles in two minutes. "Is this what you want?"

Evan scrunched his brows and nodded furiously when Jonathan lined himself up. "Yeah . . . fuck yes."

"Never though I'd hear you say that."

Evan gave a breathless laugh, "Me either. Ah! Jesus, Jonathan."

He pushed just the tip in, letting Evan's body adjust since Jonathan was almost positive he'd never been fucked in his life. Not with his alpha attitude and built physique.

"Shh. Just relax." He stood tall and gripped Evan's hips and he rocked his own until he was halfway inside of him. Evan was so tight and so hot he felt like fire.

"God . . . ahh . . . fuck." Evan was a moaning mess below him and when Jonathan sank himself to the hilt neither one of them could breathe.

"Come on." Evan moved his hips and Jonathan stilled him, his fingers gripped his waist as he caught his breath.

"Evan." He said and pulled him up, turning his face so he could kiss him, their tongues wet as they slid.

He rolled back against him and Jonathan couldn't take it anymore. He slammed him back down onto the marble and thrust his hips hard, pulling out and sinking all the way down into him in one fluid motion. He earned a cry from the man and he reached around him to take his cock in his hand again.

"I'm going to fuck you until you can't walk without your knees buckling beneath you." Jonathan said sank his teeth into his neck, his hips snapping, and Evan was trembling.

"Oh, fuck!" Evan arched his back when Jonathan hit it, that one spot that he'd never experienced before. "My God, what is that?!"

Jonathan fisted his hair in his other hand and pulled Evan's head back to mouth at his jaw. "That's the best thing that your body has to offer. Do you want it?"

"Hah, fucking Christ! Yes!"

Jonathan was so deep inside of him he thought he might just stay there. He'd never felt anything so good in his life. He never thought Evan would be crying his name, thrusting himself back onto his dick begging him for more.

Evan brought one of his legs up onto the stool beside him and Jonathan felt himself go even deeper, further, if it was even possible.

"That is so fucking good." Evan was shaking, tremors running across his body as Jonathan hit that spot with each jerk of his perfect hips, his hand still stroking him in time with it. And just as soon as he thought he was going to fall over the edge, Jonathan pulled out and yanked Evan with him to the coffee table in the living room. He fell to it and smirked up at Evan, his blue eyes raking over his flushed skin and wobbly legs.

"Get down here and ride me."

Evan wasted no time and Jonathan watched as his lover crawled eagerly onto his lap, slipping smoothly down onto him, crouching above him using his pure muscle to lift himself up and off and back down into his length. Jonathan was fascinated watching Evan's face, the ecstasy that was spreading across his face as he let himself be fucked for the first time. Jonathan stilled him, found leverage with his feet and rolled his hips up listening to Evan's cries become more high pitched and desperate the harder he hit his prostate.

"Fuck, Jonathan! Ah, fuck me!" He moaned like a bitch but he didn't care, it was so good and Jonathan as holding him in his lap, snapping hips, fucking him like he'd never get to again. "Harder! Harder! Yeah . . . fuck yeah! Right there! Oh my fucking god . . ."

Jonathan reached up for his hair, yanking as he called his name, as Evan came, his heat sticking to Jonathan's chest in thick strings. It rolled through them both and Evan felt Jonathan release, his red lips hanging open until he fell back onto the wood breathless.

"Wow."

Evan smiled, laughing as he leaned down to place a hot kiss against his mouth. "I guess I need to clean my gun more often."

They laid there forever, running their fingers over each other's skin, laughing about it. And when Evan stood he found out Jonathan had been true to his word because he couldn't walk without his knees buckling.

He'd never forget that night. The night he discover Jonathan's trigger which was the sight of him cleaning his gun. It made him light like a match and tear into him.

So on the days that he could feel Jonathan eyeing him, undressing him with his eyes, he'd bring his pistol to bed and take it apart piece by piece as slowly as he could until Jonathan was forcing himself to sit still, stay calm, holding himself back from ripping Evan's clothes from his body. It made Evan feel vulnerable and he loved the anticipation he felt when he pieced the gun back together because he knew that when the last part clicked . . . he was prey and Jonathan would have him any way he wanted; fast and hard. That turned Evan on more than anything and that was the night he discovered his own trigger. Being the Omega.


	6. Silhouette

Marcel was pacing the house as Craig holed himself up in the planning room trying to dig up as much information on the club he and Marcel had walked by the previous night. He stopped his nervous walk when Brock stood in front of him and crossed his arms. "Chill out. He's working as fast as he can."

"I know. I just . . . I know something's going on at that place. You didn't see that boy's face, Brock. The way he was looking around for help when they led him in. It is burned into my brain."

They stared at each other in a heavy silence that was broke when Jonathan walked in. He felt the tension in the room and paused, looking between the both of them. "What's going on?"

Marcel rubbed at his face for the billionth time and sighed, "I think there's something going on at Silhouette."

Jonathan dropped his things on the counter beside them and shrugged off his jacket. "That high-end VIP club downtown?"

"Yeah, the one you can't get into and the wait list is three years long." Marcel huffed.

"What do you think is going on there?" Delirious crossed his fit arms and before Marcel could get a word out, Craig burst out of the planning room with his hands in the air.

"I figured it out!" Mini took a deep breath before he spit it out. "Human trafficking."

Evan walked in through the front door and let it click shut behind him. He hadn't even heard the entire conversation but when he met Jonathan's eyes he knew it was something bad and something even worse was going to go down for them to stop it. That's how their lives worked; doing terrible things to make the bad things end. Fighting fire with fire.

"Okay." Evan locked the door behind him and pulled his phone out, sending a text to the rest of the crew in the house to meet. "Tell us what you know, Mini."

* * *

For hours Craig poured over all of the evidence he had found and collected. The more he showed them the worse the feeling Vanoss had in the pit of his stomach got. Human trafficking was no joke and this was the first occurrence they'd stumbled upon and they'd still be blind to it if it hadn't been for Marcel and Craig taking that detour past the club late last night.

Craig cleared his throat, "Here's some of the video surveillance I managed to pull from their system, which is protected with firewalls like I've never seen. This is top-notch shit. There's no telling how huge this ring is."

He played them clips from inside the club, the lights were dim and there were bodies dancing everywhere. Perfection on two legs in an endless twirl and spin. Strippers, dancing until they were dismissed and were replaced with a lineup of bare-skinned humans, young and scared. They were being auctioned off one by one, pulled away by their new owners by the leashes around their necks.

"Turn it off." Evan said, his voice hard.

Craig nodded and threw some photos on the table in front of them after he clicked the television off. Tyler glanced up at him, "Who are these guys?"

Brian ran his hands through his hair, "Soon to be dead men, I'm sure."

"This is the owner of the club." Craig pointed at a man who fit every description of a mobster and illegal businessman with is thick beard and mustache. "The other men are his dealers, runners, guards. He's heavily protected for obvious reasons and that entire building is guarded like a fortress. I've check the cities blueprints, the sewage lines, the roof. It's impenetrable."

Luke sat forward, "Unless we walk the in front door, is what you're saying?"

"Exactly." Mini nodded.

"How do we do that exactly? That place is VIP only with a wait list that could wrap around Earth." Lui crossed his arms and sat back beside Nogla who nodded in agreement.

Craig rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Well . . . sometimes merchandise flows through a business more undetected than the consumers. If you get what I'm saying."

Evan tapped a finger against his leg. "We put someone on the inside."

The room fell even more silent than it had been. "There's no way any of us fit the description of his . . . slaves." Brock added quietly.

Craig nodded, "I know. But a he's always recruiting entertainment."

"Strippers?" Brian's eyebrows inched up his forehead. "You want one of us to go in as a stripper?"

"It's literally the only way. And I've already tracked down where he recruits and what the preferred body type is." Craig stated. "Which isn't a woman, keep that in mind."

"So." Marcel said. "Who fits the bill?"

Everyone eyeballed each other in the room until Craig looked at his feet, twiddling his thumbs before he looked up at his boss and chewed at his lip. Vanoss huffed, "Mini!"

"Alright!" He shrank at the look Evan was giving him. "Delirious . . . Jonathan is the perfect fit. He has the build, the skin tone, tattoos but not too many. Piercings. He's perfect."

Jonathan had been silent ever since they entered the room and he was just as quiet sitting there absorbing the new information and what it meant. He looked at Craig with steady, calm, sharp blue eyes and gave him a nod. He could feel Evan on fire beside him.

"I'll do it."

"No."

"Evan, don't." Jonathan said, finality lacing his words. "Just tell me what I need to do."

Vanoss shifted in his seat, "If you go in there, we can't protect you."

"It's called undercover for a reason." Jonathan sat up straighter. "Besides, there's always Plan B."

Evan rolled his eyes and pushed himself to his feet before leaving the room.

Marcel looked at Delirious with furrowed brows, "I don't get it. What's Plan B?"

Tyler huffed a laugh, "Plan B is we storm the castle and take no hostages."

"Plan B is we kill everyone." Luke deadpanned and his boots thumped on the hardwood floor as he walked out onto the balcony to watch the sun set.

* * *

They had one month to prepare.

The first week consisted of Evan fuming and huffing and puffing and griping. The second week he finally grew up and did his duty as leader and got everyone in the city up to speed on what was going down. He pulled together every ally they had in the city which was seventy percent of the gang population in Los Santos. Security would not be a problem and if Plan A failed, Plan B was a sure fire guarantee to end the slave ring.

The third week, Craig cornered Delirious and gave him a serious once over. Jonathan was shirtless and he was a little worried when Mini's eye traveled lower. He slapped his hand away and took a step back when he went to touch him. "What the fuck are you doing?"

"Sorry." Craig straightened the glasses on his face. "I was just looking at your tattoos. Do you have anything gang related on you?"

"Um." Jonathan though hard about it and remembered the one that Murphy Ortiz had forced on him all those years ago. "Yeah, it wasn't my choice. But it's really small."

He lifted his arm up and showed him the small three letter tattoo just above his ribs on his side. Mini examined it and shook his head, "It'll have to go. If they notice anything gang related, they'll kill you on the spot. And I'm sure they have their resources that can trace back to Murphy's group and his signs."

"How do I get rid of it?"

Lui peered around the corner and snapped his finger, "I know a guy. He's pricey but he can tattoo over it and you'd never know the old one was there."

Evan walked past without looking at any of them with his phone in his hand, typing up something for somebody and he said, "Bring him in then. We'll pay him whatever he wants."

"You got it, Boss." Lui gave a lazy salute and pulled his phone out, disappearing into the next room.

Jonathan twiddled his thumbs for the rest of the morning while everyone else busied themselves with cleaning weapons or making calls or double checking that their vehicles weren't broken and missing vital pieces. Everyone was busy except for himself and he had nothing to do but wait for Lui's guy to knock on the door. Evan hadn't been communicating with him for the past few weeks and it was understandable but he was being such a child about this whole situation. They had about a week and half left until he planted himself inside of the club. After that happened, no one knew how long he would be on the inside. It was a touch and go kind of op and he knew he could handle it. But Evan was on the fence about it, giving him side glances and sleeping with his back to him as if that would make him change his mind. Jonathan figured Evan would be spending as much time with him as he possibly could before he disappeared for however long it took him to find a weak spot in the illegal operation or get close to the target.

He was lost in thought staring out at the city below from their perch on the mountain side when he heard the doorbell ring. He heard Lui hollering that he was coming, then he heard hellos and caught Evan's bulky figure slipping past his peripherals only to disappear into the kitchen like a shadow. His nerves clenched and he tried to stop the aggravation from building every time the man acted like a sulking child.

"Delirious!" Lui got his attention when he walked into the living room with a small tan guy behind him carrying a large black brief case in his hand. "This is the guy. He goes by Droidd, nothing else. So tell him what you need done and he'll fix you up."

Lui left them in a calm silence and he felt Evan's eyes on him from across the way when he pulled his shirt over his head and pointed to the tiny tattoo on his side. "Can you cover that up with something else?"

Droidd touched his fingers to it and stretched his skin. He tilted his head side to side and then nodded. "Easy fix. What do you want me to put on top of it? Anything in particular?"

Jonathan chewed at his lower lip and shrugged, "Do an owl."

He said it loud enough for Evan to hear and he laid himself out on the couch, Droidd pulling up a chair of the appropriate height and opening up his case full of ink and needles. "Mind if I play some music? It helps me freehand."

Jonathan shook his head, "Be my guest."

The guy pulled out a speaker and connected it to his phone and hit play, letting a smooth beat travel through the room and Jonathan let his eyes close. The buzzing of the needle was drowned out by the music and the sting faded away once Droidd found a steady motion and rhythm and it was over before he knew it. He heard the clicking of a case and the man was taping a protective bandage over the tattoo.

"You guys ever need anything else, give me a call. I don't just do tattoos, I'm a jack of all trades." He said and took the money that Evan offered him.

"Absolutely. I appreciate it." Evan gave him a curt nod and saw him to the door, locking it behind him.

He risked a glance back at Jonathan who was already walking his way and he caught himself turning towards him, drinking in the sight of his exposed skin. When he closed in on him, he ran his hand through Jonathan's hair that had grown considerably longer ever since Craig told him to stop cutting it, to let it grow a bit to better fit his role he was to play. Evan liked it and he hoped he would keep it that way when this was all said and done.

Jonathan looked at him and cocked his head to the side letting his hands settle on Evan's waist. "Are you done being a little bitch?"

"Excuse me?" Evan gave a small laugh of disbelief.

"You heard me." Jonathan stared him down and Evan was forced to look away like a dog in trouble. "Are you done avoiding me and pouting like a little kid who had his favourite toy taken away?"

Evan rolled his eyes. "I am not pouting and my toy is still right here, thank you very much."

Jonathan tried to hold back the grin that was pulling at his lips, "So, I'm your toy then huh?

"No." Evan reached up for his face. His smooth milky face and dry lips that were soft like the day was long. "You're not my toy, you're my everything."

"No." Luke walked past them into the living room. "You're disgusting."

Jonathan snorted on a laugh and Evan caught his neck between his teeth causing him to hum beneath his breath. "Come on, Delirious. I feel like playing with my toy."

"Shut up, bitch." Jonathan said in a heavy rush of breath with the man's lips still trailing over his skin.

Evan hoisted him up into his arms and carried him down the hall and into their room, hearing Marcel when he passed by them. "Yeah, you guys are fucking gross. Just get married already."

* * *

Just one week left and Jonathan was practicing diligently on how his hips moved, how they rolled and how to speed them up and slow them down and use them to his advantage. He was learning how to slide up and down a pole and it wasn't as degrading as he though it would be because the woman who was giving him lessons was a work of art the way she used every muscle she had to make her movement seamless, like she was gliding, floating. He was almost there. He already had the muscle, it was just getting the movements right and he had busted his ass ten times already, but she never gave up on. She kept him on his toes and he was grateful because it was just two days until showtime and he could now dance on a pole and on someone's lap like a fucking professional.

"Thank you, sweetheart. You saved my life."

She laughed and gave him a sweaty hug before he left her for good, throwing his duffle over his shoulder and jumping in the car with Marcel who drove them home. The house was quiet and dark and tomorrow was the start of Plan A and Jonathan could feel it sinking in and he was searching the house for his person. The person he needed to bury his face against and when he felt those arms, strong and gentle, pulling him out of the hallway and into their room, he almost broke down. He almost let his nerves get the best of him. But Evan was holding those walls up for him like he always did, easing his burden by taking him in his arms and making him forget why he was running through the house seeking him out in the dark in the first place.

"Shh. Come here." Evan whispered in his ear and pulled the shirt over his head. He kissed his body like he was worshiping it and he was as he slid the rest of the fabric from his limbs.

"Are you worried about this going to shit?"

Evan shook his head. "No."

Jonathan crawled into his lap, "Why not?"

"Because you're good at what you do. I know you'll get the job done." Evan kissed at his chest and ran his hands up his back.

"What if they try to take me?"

"They won't. You are the entertainment not the product and Mini said the man in charge doesn't allow his entertainment to be touched. You're only there to be observed for your beauty and finesse."

"And to eaves drop." Jonathan added quietly against Evan's ear, hieghtening his senses.

"You know where to go for the exchange of information?"

Jonathan nodded. "Yes, I know. When I go to my temporary apartment, I'll stop by the coffee shop on the corner and meet discreetly with whichever one of you is there. I'll keep an eye out for tails. We exchange info and I'll try to get close to the man up top. See if we can't take these bastards out at the root."

Evan fell back against the sheets, pulling Jonathan with him letting his hands roam over his hard body. "Sounds good . . . I love you."

Jonathan looked down at him, frowning at the seriousness in his voice. He touched his fingers to his face, their way of saying the things that didn't have words to convey their meaning. "I love you, too. I know you say you're not worried but deep down I know you are."

Evan wrapped himself around him, gripping him tight. "Always. But I trust you. I know you can take care of yourself. I just don't like being away from you."

"Neither do I." Jonathan let his body meld with his. "It'll be over before we know it."

* * *

"Chins up! Pants down!"

A burly man's voice reverberated throughout the empty strip club that was in a bad side of town that Jonathan didn't care for. It held bloody memories. He let his sweatpants fall to his ankles like the other men standing in a straight line beside him. There were only about fifteen of them, all looking to be hired on at Silhouette.

"You." The man pointed to him and with just one look he nodded. "Go get in the vehicle. Everyone else, dance."

Jonathan grinned and he'd have to remind himself to thank Mini for the suggestions for his appearance. Apparently he was perfect enough that he didn't even need to prove that he could dance. He pulled his pants up and pulled his shirt over his head, stepping off the stage and heading toward the light of the door where he was guided to a SUV that screamed 'money'. He waited for a few minutes before four more men joined him inside the vehicle. They gave each other nods and he noticed how much they resembled him. Tattoos here and there, piercings, long hair on top of their head but cut shorter on the sides. This man had very particular tastes and for some reason Jonathan found that unsettling. The closer they drove to the club the more anxious he became but he kept his cool. He stilled his beating heart as his feet lead him inside, the dim lights swallowing them all into a permanent atmosphere were music was a constant and endless dancers gliding like breath in the air. Filthy patrons eating them alive with their eyes were scattered about with champagne glasses glue to their hands. Jonathan felt the acid in his throat and he wanted nothing more than to have a gun on him, a knife even. He could do an outrageous amount of damage with just a blade. He shook the thought from his head because he'd just got here and he had to let himself settle in before he could even think of killing anyone.

They were shown to a dressing room where they were to go to when they came to the club every day. No detours, no communicating with anyone, just go get dressed and when the time came they went out and danced. It was a sick routine, but he could handle it. Every night he danced he let his eyes subtly scan through the dark crowd, looking for the face that Craig said was the boss, the head honcho, the slaver. But an entire week went by and he never laid eyes on him. The poles were cold against his skin but he never let it stop him and he felt like liquid gold the way the people were watching him. They stared like he was the richest diamond, the seven seas, and a world wonder rolled into one.

It was strange to be admired, to be stripped by such perverted eyes on a daily basis. It sent a chill to his core and he couldn't have been happier to go to his fake apartment that night. He said his goodbyes to his fellow dancers who he had grown to enjoy the company of, but he liked to get away from that sinful place as fast as he could. He caught a cab, always keeping an eye out for anyone following him, then he would walk the rest of the way so he could stop into the cafe every other day to make it seem like it was routine. Today was the day one of the guys were supposed to meet him and a huge part of him really wanted it to be Evan. But he knew it wouldn't be him. Evan couldn't risk exposing himself this soon.

* * *

"Who should go?" Tyler asked with his arms crossed as they sat around the table.

"I don't know." Craig shrugged. "We need to get into Delirious' apartment without raising suspicions so we can scan it for wire taps and cameras in case they're watching him. He doesn't have the equipment to find the ones he can't see. If he's found any at all."

"Okay, but who's going? And how the hell do we get into his apartment without it looking like a break in?" Brian drummed his hands on the table.

"Just go in with him." Evan stated in a matter-of-fact tone. Everyone glanced up at him confused.

"How? We can't just meet up with him and go back to his apartment. That is totally _not_ suspicious." The sarcasm dripped from Marcel's tongue.

Evan sighed. "Under the right circumstances, it's _not_ suspicious."

Marcel stared at him like he was talking riddles until it hit him and then his eyes widened. "Oh."

"Oh? Oh, what?" Brian asked and snapped his fingers when no one would answer him.

Marcel slapped his hand away and glared up at him before straightening his shirt. "What he's saying is that whoever goes needs to make it seem like . . . like they're going to spend the night with him. Do you get it now?"

"You want us to sleep with him?" Brian's brows inched up his forehead.

Evan rubbed his eyes. "No, you fucking Irish idiot. If you sleep with him I'll kill you. You can kiss him, but only to make it seem like you're going home with him. Go to the cafe, chat him up, let him know what's going on. He'll catch on, he's smart. He'll take you back and once you're in the apartment, use the device to check for bugs. If there's some in the room, keep the act up and exchange info discreetly. If not, then get what info he has to offer and leave the next morning."

Brian ran his hands through his hair. "Okay, so we're back to square one. Who goes? Brock? Lui?"

"No." Evan stood. "They don't look like his type."

Lui rolled his eyes, slightly offended. "Well, excuse us for not all being buff Asians."

Evan cut him a look and Lui ducked his head. "Brian. You'll go."

"What?!" Brian yelped. "Come on!"

Evan's jaw flexed and the tension in the room escalated. "Trust me, I would go myself if I could. And I swear to Christ if you -"

"Boss." Marcel interrupted him and everyone eyeballed him like he was crazy to cut him off. "I'll go. I don't have a problem kissing a guy. He's one of my best friends and I know he trusts me. Brian on the other hand would probably chicken out."

"It's true, Evan. I don't know if I'm up for it." Brian rubbed the back of his neck. "I'd do it but I don't want to risk compromising him."

Evan looked between the two men and nodded, "Fine. Marcel you go. Buzz your hair, wear a loose shirt, tight jeans, sneaks, and a leather jacket. Lui, get Droidd over here and put a temporary tattoo on Marcel's neck and pierce his ears."

Lui left the room and made a phone call and half an hour later the man showed up with needles in hand to place studs in Marcel's ears and he used a semi-permanent ink to paint a tribal looking tattoo just above his collar.

Evan stood back and looked him over. Now he looked the part of an attractive guy who might be into other dudes. "Alright, you look good. Now get down there."

"Yes, sir."

* * *

Jonathan didn't know what he was expecting as he sat alone in the corner of the dim relaxing light of the cafe while the rain came down, but it wasn't the man walking through the door. He wasn't expecting to see Marcel looking ravishing as he eyeballed him across the room while he placed an order. Jonathan watched the steam coming off of the surface of his coffee as he walked over. He looked around, noticing the lack of seats. Marcel gave him a wicked grin.

"Mind if I sit here?"

"Not at all." Jonathan cocked his head to the side and messed with the cup in his hand.

"Thank you." Marcel said sweetly and Jonathan knew what he was doing when he caught his brown eyes running over his face. It wasn't weird. It was an act. "I'm Marcus."

Jonathan shook his outstretched and brushed his hair back before glancing back up. "I'm Jay."

"Nice to meet you."

"Likewise."

Marcel had always got along with Delirious. They were both quiet to an extent and they both liked to sit in silence. So more often than not you could find them sitting on the balcony reading books together and then gossiping about the plot and the characters. It was nice and they were great friends. So the fact that Jonathan knew what Marcel was trying to do without saying it flat out was proof of how well they communicated.

They sat in the quiet cafe while the rain came down and talked liked they would if they were two strangers interested in each other. When the rain finally let up and Jonathan was letting his finger barely touch Marcel's hand he looked up at him and smirked. "So, my place or yours?"

Marcel tilted his head, "My place is pretty far out."

Jonathan hummed and slid out of his seat and jerked his head toward the door. "I'm just around the corner. Come on."

Marcel slipped his fingers into Jonathan's and let him lead him down the wet sidewalk. He felt the hairs standing up on the back of his neck and Jonathan felt it too because he looked over at him and said, "There's a fly in my ear."

"Yeah." Marcel nodded. That was code for someone was following them and he could hear heavy foot steps behind them as they entered the building and took the stairs. When the door opened up again behind them as they ascended Jonathan let out a sudden laugh and shoved Marcel against the wall and he played along when he planted his lips firmly on his. Marcel took his face in his hands and kissed back until they reached the door to Jonathan's floor. They giggled and stumbled down the hall until they reached his door; apartment 141. Marcel pressed him against the frame while Jonathan fumbled with his keys on purpose while there were lips against his neck.

They burst into the apartment and slammed the door, breaking apart momentarily so Marcel could get his small detector out of his pocket. He turned it on and kept an eye on it as they fumbled around his apartment with their hands on each other. There was no sign of wires or planted bugs and when they reached the bedroom he shut it off and sighed.

"It's clear."

Jonathan shrugged out of his jacket and headed back into the living room where he turned the tv on and played gay porn. He turned the volume up just loud enough and peered out through the peep hole where their unwanted friend was passing by slowly, listening, before he said something into an ear piece and walked back the way he had come.

"Okay, now we're clear." Jonathan said and walked into the kitchen where he opened his fridge and pulled out two beers. He popped the tops on the edge of his counter and handed one to Marcel.

"Thanks. That was so weird." The younger man sighed.

"It wasn't too bad." Jonathan winked. "That's a good look for you by the way."

"This was all Evan's idea." Marcel laughed. "But yeah, I like the look, too."

Jonathan's tone dropped at the mention of his significant other. "How is he?"

"He's like you'd expect. Barking orders and walking around with a stick up his ass." He shrugged and took a swig of his drink.

Jonathan shook his head with a fond grin. "Yeah that sounds about right."

He took a seat across from him at the cramped table in the corner of the kitchen and thunder boomed above them. Cries of pleasure could still be heard in the living room but they ignored it.

"So, have you found out anything new?"

Jonathan peeled back the label on his drink and rubbed his eyes. "Nothing significant. They tell me what time to be there and what time to leave. It's never the same and I haven't seen Miko, the boss man, yet."

"Well, Mini wants you to know that he's been doing some digging and figured out when the auctions happen. They round up so many subjects as they can and on the last Friday of each month they call in potential buyers and the richest of the rich to sell them off to."

Jonathan swallowed the rest of his drink and got them both another one. "That's disgusting."

"I know. So if Miko shows his face, it'll probably be at the auction."

Jonathan nodded in thought, "So I've got two more weeks of sliding on a pole and shaking my ass before I see this guy."

"Maybe." Marcel shrugged. "He has favorites. Strippers I mean. He keeps one or two for a while and then changes them out. It's fucking perverted."

"Does he just watch them dance in private, or does he use them as whores?" Jonathan was growing more weary the more they talked about the man.

"No idea. That's all we've dug up so far. Just keep doing what you're doing and we'll let you know something next week." Marcel threw his empty bottles in the trash. "Where do you want me to sleep?"

"You can sleep in my bed. I'll probably be awake all night."

Marcel raised a brow. "Why?"

"I don't sleep good without him." Jonathan walked into the living room and cut the porn off before settling on the couch with a book. Marcel didn't ask who he didn't sleep well without because he knew who he meant and he felt bad for him. Delirious had problems well before he and Evan started their gang and he knew it took a while to get past it all. Evan was his safe haven and as much as Delirious didn't like to admit he needed him, he did. And they all knew Evan needed Delirious. Without him he was angry and stubborn. He wasn't the same.

So Marcel settled down next to him figuring he would like the company and the quiet and he was right. Jonathan smiled at him and handed him a new book and they sat up all night reading until they both passed out on the cushions.

The morning light woke Jonathan and he cooked them breakfast.

"That's another thing." Marcel said between bites.

"Hm?"

"Evan has been cooking like a fucking mad man. Like, he's cooked us breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the past week. It's crazy. I mean the food is amazing as usual but he's obviously trying to keep his mind off of you." Marcel grinned. "It's kind of sweet."

Jonathan smiled and looked at his hands thinking about how much longer it would be before he could touch that body again, feel his warmth and his existence. He missed him.

They finished eating and Marcel double checked the apartment again for wire taps before Jonathan handed him the book he'd been reading the previous night. He glanced out the peep hole just in time to see their unwanted friend walk by nonchalantly. Jonathan grinned. The guy was an idiot at his job and he really wouldn't mind it if he had to kill him off.

He unlocked the door and looked at his friend. "There's a fly in the hall, so give it a show."

Marcel gave him a nod and walked into the hall when Jonathan opened the door for him. He turned and caught his fair face in his hand. "Thank you for breakfast. I had fun last night."

Jonathan licked his lips and let his fingers pull at Marcel's loose shirt. "Me, too. We should do it again sometime."

"We should."

Jonathan smirked and pulled at his shirt until their lips met briefly. Then he pushed him away playfully.

Marcel laughed, "Call me?"

"I'll think about it."

"Well, think_ long_ and _hard_ about it baby."

Jonathan rolled his eyes and went back into his apartment when Marcel took the stairs. The door clicked and he locked it, sinking immediately to the floor with his head in his hands. His chest was tight and he was tired. They never called him to the club until the sun started to sink lower in the sky. So he had the rest of the day to do nothing but get lost in his head. His mind always brought him down, made him hurt. He knew what he needed, but he couldn't have it.

He needed Evan.

* * *

"How was he?"

"He was fine. He had a tail, but he never got spooked or suspicious of us." Marcel set the book that Delirious had given him on the bar.

"Has he got any news?" Craig asked, trying to hide his anxiousness.

Marcel shook his head, "Nothing. Just that they call him when they want him. He has no strict schedule. That's pretty weird in itself. And I told him all about the auction, so he knows what to look out for."

"Okay. I'll keep digging." Craig turned and headed back into the planning room where he'd holed up for the past week searching for information.

Evan eyed Marcel and he couldn't stop the question from coming out again. "How was he?"

Marcel sat down on a stool and tapped his finger against the marble. He caught his boss' eye. "He misses you. He wouldn't say it but I know him and he was doing that thing where he gets quiet and lost in thought. You know, where he says something vague and wonders off for the rest of the night."

Evan nodded, "Yeah, I know."

"And he has nothing to keep his mind off of you, nothing but his books." Marcel leafed through the pages of the book in front of him and a small piece of paper slid out onto the counter. Evan reached for it and unfolded it. Marcel watched the smile spread across the man's face and he may or may not have seen his eyes water before he left Evan alone. He had watched Jonathan write it down and hide it in the book before he gave it to him that morning.

_Evan._

_I love you._

_Miss you._

_Really wanna kiss you._

_-J_

* * *

"You."

"Sir?" Jonathan stopped where he was on the stage and in the dim light he saw a tall burly man wave him over.

"Come with me."

He had an authoritative tone and he recognized him from the group of men that had recruited them almost three weeks back, now. The auction would be tonight if Mini's information was correct, which he didn't doubt. So, without question he followed the man down a long hallway that he'd never had the time to sneak around and see. At the end were two tall double doors that opened up into a lavish room that was disturbingly decorated with poles and pillows and the color purple. Jonathan didn't like it.

"Stay here." The man said and disappeared through the doors they'd come through, shutting them with a thunderous click. He felt the dread settle in his chest when a deep beat started to play in the room. He felt it reverberate in his rib cage and he knew it was Miko when the man stepped into the room from what Jonathan assumed was his washroom.

"Dance."

That was all he said and Jonathan didn't hesitate, he didn't stutter with his movements as he found a pole and danced and shed his clothes until he was in his assigned black briefs. Too tight for his liking but he didn't complain, no one did, or you were fired on the spot. He assumed you got fired, for all he knew they took you out back and shot you. He wouldn't put it past them. He made eye contact with the man and he could feel the hunger in his eyes and it made him sick to his stomach. But still, he danced and swayed his hips to the music, hoisting his body up the pole, spinning, gliding around in smooth circles that impressed even himself. It was fun, just not his current predicament. This man was filth and he couldn't wait to kill him, couldn't wait to watch the life leave his corrupt perverted eyes.

"You're beautiful." Miko said, his voice deep. The music faded and Jonathan slowed to a stop, standing there in the spotlight waiting for further instructions. Miko walked circles around him, examining him. "What do your tattoos mean?"

Jonathan didn't think, he simply said what he always believed. "They mean nothing, sir. It's art and art doesn't have to mean anything."

Miko gave a short laugh, chewing at the cigar in his mouth. "That is very true. Your body and the way you move is art in itself. But, I assume you already know that. I want you to dance in my exclusive lounge tonight until you are dismissed. I know men who would appreciate your beauty, men who would pay to see it again and again. You could make me a lot of money."

Jonathan watched him smile and he knew something wasn't right, but he would play along until he figured it out.

* * *

_Meanwhile..._

"How do I look?" Evan asked and he held his arms out and turned in a circle.

"Like a rich bastard with too much time on his hands." Tyler said plainly. "You look the part."

Evan messed with the thick rimmed glasses on his nose and straightened his suit. "Good. Let's go. The auction starts in an hour."

Evan, Brock, and Brian got into the SUV with Luke at the wheel. "Mini make sure they can see how much money I have in the bank. I need this to go as smoothly as possible. The richer I look the better chance I have of getting in to this guy's social club."

"Yes, sir." Craig said over the ear piece.

Luke turned in the seat as he backed them out of the driveway. "You sure it was a good idea to keep Jonathan out of the loop on this?"

"Yes, if he knew I was coming it could distract him. I can't risk that."

"So what exactly is the plan once you're inside?" Brian asked brushing his hair back and fixing his tie.

"I don't know. I'm gonna wing it." Evan adjusted his cuffs. "See what I can find out about how this operation works."

* * *

He could here music beating faintly in his ears.

Jonathan was being led to the upper floors that no one was allowed to visit under any circumstances. He'd seen very stingy looking rich men taking the elevator before, smirking and turning their nose up to anyone that looked at them. He was curious to know what was so special about this lounge of Miko's. The room was very dark, with dark blue recess lighting shining down on the small catwalk in the center of the room. There were poles everywhere, as usual, but at the end of the walk was a large rotating platform and he really didn't want to know what that was for. He sincerely hoped he never found it. He hoped they were all dead by then.

His fingers twitched when a man walked by with food and wine on a rolling cart and before he could stop himself he let his hand silently remove a small blade from a fruit tray. He had almost nothing to hide it with but he managed to tuck it into the band of his briefs, praying it didn't slide down and cut off anything important. He was led to a room in the back where there were other strippers waiting for orders. He gave them a nod and peered through the door as a few men at a time filtered into the room, wearing sharp suits and serious looks. Miko was with them and Jonathan knew that this was it. This was his opportunity to kill him, because with a blade he could do it silently. The dark would hide him and he'd be gone before anyone realized.

* * *

Brian opened the door for Evan and he stepped out, straightening his jacket and brushing his hair back. He adjusted his glasses that had an undetectable camera built in so Craig could record everything as evidence if they needed it. The men at the club doors checked his identification and invitation, patted him down, and scanned him with a small metal detector before letting him in. He was immediately overwhelmed by the sweet smell of champagne and something else he couldn't quite identify. I small squeaky fellow walked up to him and greeted him with a hand shake.

"Hello and welcome to Silhouette, Mr. Smith. Now, seeing as this is your first visit with us for an auction, Mr. Miko Valharrez would like you to join him upstairs in his private lounge for a special welcome. We reserve our finest products for auctioning above for guests of stature such as yourself. So, if you'll follow me I'll take you there now."

"Thank you." Evan gave him a curt nod and heard Tyler in his ear piece.

_"That is so fucking wrong. They reserve their finest products. Their products probably don't even know they're products."_

_"Shut up, Tyler. Let him get up there first." Craig scolded. "And make sure Adam and the other gangs are in position around the club if shit hits the fan before he can get out."_

_"Yeah, I'm on it."_

Evan's stomach dropped slightly like it did any time he rode in an elevator. He kept his hands in his pockets, fiddling with the hard plastic blade in his hand the guards had failed to find. They reached the top and he was led into a small dark lounge illuminated only by dark blue lights above the catwalk that stretched out in three different directions. Music was already thrumming in his ear and beating in his chest, two men dancing and sliding against poles as he was guided to a seat. Before he could get to it a man he recognized only from photographs grabbed him by the shoulder and smiled.

"Mr. Smith, it's good you could join us. The show has just begun. Please have a seat, you shall not be disappointed." Miko sat him down and left him there to watch the men on the walk do their act, which was very impressive to say the least.

**(Listen to this as background music for this part: Majid Jordan - U)**

The songs changed and he refused to drink his champagne as the people came and went. The man closest to him leaned over in his chair and said, "This your first time?"

"Yes." He said calmly.

"This is my third time. I never buy, I just like to watch. They're beautiful, yes?" The man said in a tone that Evan didn't like, he'd probably kill him first if it came down to it.

"Gorgeous. Why don't you buy? Are they too expensive for your taste?" Evan smirked over at him and the blonde pursed his lips and crossed his legs.

"Oh, no. Not expensive, I have one of my own already. Like I said, I come for the show." The accented man licked his lips and Evan almost gagged. "Miko always saves the best for last. Here he comes now."

Evan glanced back at the black curtains at the back of the cat walk and he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand at full attention. His fingers gripped the arm rests beneath them and he though his teeth might break he was clenching his jaw so hard. Jonathan was barely visible in the dark blue lights but that was the point, so you could only see the shadows being cast off of his prominent features. It defined every muscle he had and made the thin layer of sweat on his skin glisten like fucking diamonds. Evan had never seen anything so beautiful in his life and he found himself sitting forward in his seat against his will. The anger swelled in his gut at the fact that Jonathan was Miko's finest product and was being sold like a dog, but he couldn't stop the lust he felt. The lust he always felt when he laid eyes on the man.

His blue eyes were like crystals in the dark and his body moved like liquid to the beat, slithering like silk around the pole in front of him. He owned it and he was proud, watching the way Jonathan completely took them all in his hands and made them speechless, their glasses clinking down onto their tables when the distraction became too much.

The blonde leaned over with a sick grin on his face and said, "This is my favorite part."

"What?"

"The part where they figure out they're being sold."

Evan cut his eyes over at him and decided that everyone in the room was going to die tonight, the blonde first. Miko's voice rang out over the music, Jonathan kept dancing, mesmerizing his audience and making them putty beneath his hands. "There is one other thing about art. It's expensive. We start out at the minimum, 1.5 million."

As soon as the words left his lips two men in suits stepped onto the walkway behind Jonathan who had stopped dancing and was looking around the room confused. But he relaxed once he realized what was happening. Evan knew that look well, it was the calm before the storm and he smirked behind his glasses, pulling the blade from his pocket and letting it rest in his palm. He heard Tyler and Mini in his ear telling everyone to be ready. They had an army outside waiting.

"2 million." A voice rang out.

"2.5."

"3."

The men pushed Jonathan onto the rotating platform and it spun him around slowly like he was jewelry on display and Evan couldn't wait to let the blood flow. He was waiting for the right moment. Jonathan spun and Evan locked eyes with his in the dark and held up all five of his fingers, Jonathan blinked twice in acknowledgment.

"4 million!"

"4.5"

Evan gripped the blade tight. Jonathan let his fingers slip into his waist band when his back was turned to the small audience once again.

"FIVE!"

Jonathan stuck the blade through one guard's throat before it went through the other one's eye. Evan felt the warm blood gushing across his hand as the blonde next to him choked around the knife in his throat. Evan made it quick and four more men were dead by his hand and he heard silenced bullets piercing the leftover men that tried to run. Jonathan had grabbed the dead guard's gun and he was off the stage with it pressed against Miko's sweating forehead.

"This piece of art isn't for sale." He pulled the trigger and Evan was secretly glad that it was dark because the man's brains were surely scattered so far that they went up the wall.

Evan grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the elevator, but Jonathan pulled him towards the stairs instead. "Trust me, this way."

They ran down the stairs as quickly as their feet would let them and burst into a dressing room once they reached the bottom floor. The men inside jumped and their eyes widened at the blood on them. Jonathan held up a hand, "Ricky, they're selling the strippers too, not just the kids they bring off the streets."

"What?" The dark hair man furrowed his brow with towel in his hand.

Jonathan ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "Miko just tried to sell me off for five million dollars, Rick! Every one needs to get out, right fucking now before they realize they are all dead upstairs. Do you fucking understand?! Find all the dancers and get the fuck out the back way that I showed you. Now!"

The man, Ricky, didn't waste anymore time and everyone followed him out into the stairwell and disappeared.

"Boys, the entertainment is coming out of the back, don't fire." Evan said over his ear piece. "Everyone else is expendable as far as I'm concerned."

_"Roger that!"_

Evan and Jonathan tore their way through the lobby, picking off anyone who posed a threat or got in their way. The guards at the front door were already dead and Evan could see Luke waiting out front in the SUV. He escorted Delirious and got him in the back seat shutting the door behind him. He rolled the window down and Jonathan pulled him in for a quick kiss.

Evan nodded to Luke. "Take him home. We'll be right behind you."

He watched the vehicle speed away and the men from all across the city that were on his side filtered into the building, cleaning house behind them. There was no one left alive and they scattered when the cops were on their way. They left the evidence out for them to find out they were a slave trading front and let it go from there. The feds would clean the rest of the ring up, so Evan hopped in the car with Marcel and the others and they drove back up the mountain to their quiet home in the shade of the trees.

The rest of them were waiting up and he spotted Droidd sitting there with them. He appreciated the guy and he was good at what he did. Evan stuck his hand out and Droidd shook it, not minding the dried blood covering it. "You're welcome to stay. We could use the help."

The man nodded a quiet thanks and helped Evan out of his jacket that was too tight for his liking. He had broke the buttons off when the blood started spewing. He sighed and Marcel loosened his tie. They were all suspiciously quiet, but he was too exhausted to care and he let Tyler guide him down the hall to a hot shower that was already running for him. "Clean up, you're gross."

"Thanks." He flipped him off and shut the door.

The heat was like water in mid-July after a run, like fresh air.

* * *

"Hey." Luke got his attention as they drove off. "You okay?"

Jonathan shook his head and picked at the blood beneath his nails. "Maybe."

Luke knew what he meant and he didn't ask again. He went back to driving and let his friend stare out the window as the traffic went by.

Jonathan felt the reality of what just happened sink in and he felt the world settling on his shoulders again like it always did when he thought too hard about life and how the world worked. They'd just saved countless lives, but this was just one city, one slave ring. Just one. There were probably hundreds of thousands out there across the nation that no one knew about, that no one could stop. They were lucky to have found this one considering how long it went unnoticed in their own town that they thought they knew everything about. It was disturbing. They were only humans. Humans with limitations that could only do so much, whose influence could only reach so far. To have control over Los Santos was a feat in itself and they were giving everything to keep it that way. This was their life. His life.

And he'd almost been sold for five million dollars. He wanted to laughed. Of all the things he could've gotten into, gang wars was never something he dreamed of doing. But he was good at it and being with the crew made him realise that he was good at other things too. Anything anyone threw at him, he could master it and toss it back ten time better. He was the fucking backbone, the middle man and he was proud of that even if it chipped away at his sanity. Not that he was sane to begin with, but Evan balanced him out and took away the pain. He made him forget that life was pointless and reminded him that it could be whatever you wanted it to be. All you needed was a gun and a sidekick.

Jonathan walked past the guys, giving them a tired wave and heading straight for the shower. They didn't bother him and he was grateful. He needed to be alone until he couldn't stand it anymore, until he needed Evan to bring him back from the dark pits of his mind where his nightmares and bloody memories roamed free.

* * *

"Come on guys, let's leave for the night. Go stay at the hideout down by the docks with Adam and them." Marcel offered up and put his already packed back on his shoulder.

"Why?" Brian asked and sipped at his drink.

"One day you'll understand, but I know Delirious better than most of you. He just went through a lot of shit and he was away from the one person that keeps him calm and sane." Marcel stared the man down. "It's been too long since they've been with each other and Delirious needs a little time to get back to normal. He needs Evan to let him know that he's not a slave or someone's cattle to be sold and slaughtered or that the world isn't a complete shit hole that we're wasting our time in."

The room fell silent and one by one they scatter to their rooms, packing their bags for the night and loading up in their vehicles. They drove down to the docks where the boys greeted them with open arms, understanding the situation and offering them beds and food for as long as they needed.

* * *

**(Listen to: Majid Jordan - A Place Like This)**

The house was dead when Evan stepped into the hallway after he cut the shower off. The towel wrapped around his waist, water trailed down his back from his hair and he stepped across the hardwood into the living room. He stopped and listened, but the only sounds were the fan blades pushing air around the room.

"They left." Jonathan said from his dark corner by the open bay window. He watched the red and blue lights flashing within the city.

Evan let out a breath, relaxing, knowing that Jonathan was there. His quiet presence always keeping him warm and content, but he knew Jonathan needed to get his mind away from the blood and the empty apartment he inhabited for weeks. Evan knew he was drowning in his thoughts, so he didn't say a word, just walked to the shelf and pressed play on the stereo where an endless playlist was always poised and ready for dark nights such as this one. Nights where they both needed to stare out at the sky and let the music take them somewhere other than here.

He turned the volume up until neither of them could hear themselves think. The only light was the moon and it cast a grey-blue hue over the furniture and Jonathan's milky face as Evan pulled him to his feet. He let his scent fill his nose and their bodies shifted back and forth, barely moving, just slightly. Enough to set the chill bumps loose across their skin where they touched. Evan ran his fingers over his face, tracing his jaw, letting his eyes adjust to seeing his perfection once again.

His lips that were an unspeakable shade of pink, so deep he though at times he bit them himself. His skin so fair he almost didn't want to touch it for fear of ruining it, smudging his sins across it, tainting it with the blood that was always on his hands. His eyes that flooded his soul with something bright and warm and everything he couldn't describe. Like his favorite flavor, color, and smell combined. That was Jonathan. He was a puzzle that Evan had pieced back together but was frayed around the edges, slowly smoothing itself out the longer he opened himself up to him, the more he let Evan whittle down his insanity.

They didn't speak, instead let their heads rest against each other's while the bass thrummed in their chests, reminding them that their hearts were beating, feeling slightly offset by the rhythm of the music. Jonathan let the air flow through his lungs and felt the horrid images fade from his mind the longer Evan's hands held him there, running over his bare body. He closed his eyes and reveled in the feeling of him, the feeling of his overwhelming presence, his strong fingers that were as gentle as the breeze, that alpha demeanor that guided his lips to his own, that smell of sweet spice and earth that had him twisting his fingers in his hair.

Evan's lips were at his neck, being gentle, licking at the smooth expanse of skin that was filled with ink and art that had no meaning. It was a colorful representation of his mind and soul. The part he couldn't explain, the part that come out in drawings and littered the walls of their room with stunning images and colors until there wasn't a space left. Evan kissed at the colors, kissed every inch of flesh he could find as he pulled him to the couch and into his lap. Their tongues clashed in a slow wordless conversation that only they understood, until Jonathan couldn't breathe and Evan was laying him down and making him shake. He made him forget what his own name was, replacing any coherent though with touch and feeling and pure pleasure that crawled up his spine and slipped past his lips in the form of sounds so sweet Evan didn't want it to end.

He made it last for as long as their bodies allowed until they couldn't hold back the wave of absolute bliss that they'd only ever reached with each other. It was a blur as they walked to their bedroom and slipped beneath the sheets and down into a sleep they both desperately needed. They slept for days it felt like, waking up only to tuck their heads beneath the other's chin and fall back into a slumber that brought them both back to normal, back where they needed to be.

"Mm." Jonathan mumbled against Evan's chest.

"Mm?" Evan responded.

"M'hungry."

Evan laughed and it came out deep and rich. Jonathan looked up at him and smiled. "That was the prettiest thing I've ever heard."

"And you're the prettiest thing I've ever seen." Evan ducked his head for a kiss that started another heated battle of teeth and tongues and laughter could be heard echoing throughout the empty house as the sun flooded through the windows while wind rolled in.

The world outside woke up. Life went on about it's boring day.

But Evan had his guns and Jonathan had his sidekick and life was whatever they wanted it to be.

_-w.a.l.k._


End file.
